Apple Cider Braised Short Ribs With Rosemary Gremolata

It's that time of year where apples are abundant in the farmers market and drinking apple cider just feels right. This Apple Cider Braised Short Ribs with Rosemary Gremolata is a comforting and easy recipe, perfect for those colder days where you want to warm up at home, to share this with loved ones on a special occasion, or simply to make on a Sunday and have abundant leftovers for the week.

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The apple cider adds sweetness to this dish and the beef broth and wine add depth of flavor to the sauce. The best part of this recipe is the rosemary gremolata. It's a lemony-herby topping with some spice from the garlic that complements the sweetness and savoriness of the short rib so perfectly!

Braising dishes like this one or these braised beef shanks or this Filipino beef kaldereta are great when having a dinner party because you can prep all the ingredients, place it in your dutch oven and let it slow cook while you prep the other elements of your party such as setting the table, cleaning, making cocktails for example.

Ingredients

• Short Ribs: Bone-in short ribs is the key here. I ask my butcher to cut them in equal sized pieces so that you don't have to go through the trouble of choosing different sized portions. Some recipes require you to dredge them in flour before searing so the flour thickens the sauce, but I'm purposefully omitting this to make this gluten free. You can thicken the sauce later by straining and reducing it.
• Apple Cider: I love apple cider because it contains little to zero preservatives. And Fall is the right season for it! I closely look at the ingredient list on the label before purchasing to make sure that there are none. This also means that it has a short shelf life. And if you have any leftover, make it into a sparkling apple cider mocktail, or have it with some whiskey.
• White wine: There's no need for your most expensive bottle here. Preferably any dry white wine will do. I typically have one I like to drink one as well so that I hit two birds with one stone.
• Rosemary: If I'm not into straining my vegetables and herbs out of the sauce, I'll use twine to wrap the rosemary for the short rib so that the eaves don't scatter and won't have to eat those leaves at each bite! But this is step is optional. See picture below:

*See full list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card.

How To Make The Short Ribs

Making the Apple Cider Braised Short Ribs is easier than you think. You just have to sear the meat, add all the other ingredients and let it cook in the oven for 3 to 3 and a half hours until the meat is super tender!

1. Preheat oven to 325F and season the short ribs generously with salt and pepper.
   
   If you have the time, season as early as you can up to a few hours ahead (or at least 30 minutes ahead). This will allow the salt to be absorbed into the meat.

2. Heat oil in a large dutch oven on high heat. Then in 2 batches, sear the short ribs on each side without interruption until they have a deep brown color. Make sure not to overcrowd the dutch oven. Place the seared short ribs on a plate.

3. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and garlic into the pot and saute for 7-10 minutes on medium-high heat. Then add in the tomato paste and mix with the vegetables. 

4. Pour apple cider, wine, rosemary, and add a teaspoon salt. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the dutch oven. Add in the short ribs making sure there is enough liquid covering them. Turn up the heat until it boils, then turn off the stove and transfer to the oven for 3 to 3 and a half hours. Until the meat is very tender and comes off easily with a fork.

5. Skim off the layer of fat with a spoon.  Then serve with gremolata (see next section on how to make) and enjoy!
   Note: if you do this a day ahead and refrigerate it overnight, you can skim off the solidified fat easier. 

Optional: Reducing the Sauce

6. Option to strain and reduce the sauce: the veggies will have lost their texture at this point. If I'm serving guests, I like to strain the sauce by removing the herbs and the vegetables out and let the braising liquid simmer on low heat in a small sauce pot so that it reduces and concentrates in flavor. I did this at my Fall Harvest Dinner for a thicker sauce:

How to Make the Rosemary Gremolata

In a small bowl, mix in the grated garlic, finely minced rosemary, lemon zest and parsley. And there you have Rosemary Gremolata ready to top the short ribs!

Storage And Reheating Tips

• Make this in advance: If I know I'm having people over, I like to make this 1-2 days before so that I can easily remove the fat that hardens on the surface when it's chilled. The meat also has more time to marinate in the sauce absorbing all the flavor. 
• Storing: You can store it in the dutch oven if you have enough space in your refrigerator. Just make sure that it cools before placing it in. You may also use an air tight container to store. You may also freeze this up to 3 months.
• Reheating: simply place the dutch oven back on the stove on medium heat. Heating it up on the microwave will work well too.

What to Serve With This Dish

• Pair it with something starchy so that it can absorb the sauce of the delicious short ribs such as rice or warm mashed potatoes, parsnip or sunchoke puree, sweet potato mash, or this potato gratin.
• A citrusy salad.
• A fun side like this charred cabbage with anchovy butter.
• You can make a shepherd's pie with the leftover meat by adding the shredded short rib meat.

Variations of This Recipe

• You can use red wine instead of the apple cider and white wine to make it a red wine short rib recipe instead.
• You can use different fresh herbs like fresh thyme instead of fresh rosemary in both the short rib and the gremolata.
• You can use chicken stock instead of beef stock.