Short Rib Risotto Recipe: How to Make Braised Short Rib Risotto

Ingredients for short ribs:

• Canola oil (or another neutral oil)
• 3½ pounds beef short ribs
• Kosher salt
• All-purpose flour
• 1 cup red wine (such as a Cabernet Sauvignon)
• ½ cup carrots, cut into a 1-inch dice
• ½ cup onions, cut into a 1-inch dice
• ½ cup leeks, cut into 1-inch dice
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 5 Italian parsley sprigs
• 1 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups beef stock

For the risotto:

• 5 cups chicken broth (or chicken stock or vegetable stock)
• 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
• ⅓ cup finely chopped shallots or yellow onion
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic (about 1 garlic clove)
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• Kosher salt, to taste
• ½ cup dry white wine, room temperature
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Parsley (chopped, for garnish)

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. 2

   Heat ¼ inch of oil in an oven-safe sauté pan over high heat on the stovetop.

3. 3

   Season both sides of each piece of meat with salt and dredge in flour, patting off the excess.

4. 4

   When the oil is shimmering, add the meat and sear for 2–3 minutes on all sides. When all sides have browned, transfer to a paper towel-lined rack.

5. 5

   Pour off the excess oil from the pan, leaving the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan for deglazing.

6. 6

   Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the red wine, carrots, onions, and leeks.

7. 7

   Heat the red wine and scrape off the stuck-on bits at the bottom of the pan to deglaze it. Let the red wine simmer until reduced by half, about 2–3 minutes.

8. 8

   Add the short ribs, garlic, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf.

9. 9

   Cover the short ribs with beef stock, and bring the liquid to a simmer on the stove.

10. 10

    Cover the pan with a cartouche—a parchment paper lid with a hole in the middle—transfer to the oven, and braise for about 3 hours, or until the meat is so tender that a fork or knife slides right through as if it were butter.

11. 11

    During the last hour of the short ribs braising, prepare the risotto. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the chicken broth to a low boil, then reduce heat to low, keeping the broth just below a simmer. You want the broth to be about the same temperature as the rice while it’s cooking.

12. 12

    In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the butter over medium-low, then add the shallots and cook until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes.

13. 13

    Add the garlic and stir continuously until fragrant, about 30–60 seconds.

14. 14

    Add the rice to shallot-garlic mixture, season with salt, and stir to combine. Continue stirring until rice is well-coated and becomes translucent, 2–5 minutes.

15. 15

    Add about ½ cup warm broth and a splash of wine to the rice mixture. Stir often, until rice has fully absorbed the liquid. Add the remaining broth in ½ cup increments, following each addition with a splash of wine and allowing rice to absorb liquid between additions, until rice is al dente, about 25–35 minutes. (You may not need all of the liquid.)

16. 16

    Remove the pan from heat and add ½ cup cheese and pepper, stirring to combine. Cover and allow to rest at least 5 minutes.

17. 17

    When the short ribs and risotto are ready, make the short rib sauce. Remove the short ribs from the sauté pan. Strain the braising liquid into a saucepan and discard the remnants.

18. 18

    Bring the braising liquid to a simmer, reducing the liquid until it’s thickened into a sauce consistency. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

19. 19

    Portion the risotto into four bowls. Top the creamy risotto with short ribs and drizzle the sauce over the top. Garnish with parsley.

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