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By: Troy Vanderhyde • Show: Crown Jewel Short Ribs with Troy Vanderhyde
Makes: 6 servings • Prep: 25 min • Cook: 2¾–3¼ hrs • Total: ~3½ hrs • Difficulty: Medium
Tags: Comfort Food, One-Pot, Crowd-Pleasing, Gluten-Free Option

A deep, glossy red-wine braise scented with thyme and bay, cooked until the ribs are tender enough to almost fall off the bone (leave them on for presentation), served over silky roasted-garlic cauliflower mash.

Equipment

• Heavy 5–7 qt (4.7–6.6 L) Dutch oven with lid
• Large pot and colander (for cauliflower)
• Sheet of foil (for roasting garlic)
• Tongs, wooden spoon, ladle

Ingredients

Short Ribs & Braise

• 4 lb (1.8 kg) bone-in beef short ribs, English-cut (6–8 pieces)
• 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp neutral oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 10 oz / 285 g)
• 2 ribs celery, diced (about 6 oz / 170 g)
• 2 medium carrots, diced (about 7 oz / 200 g)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups (480 ml) dry red wine
• 2 cups (480 ml) beef stock (low-sodium)
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves

Roasted-Garlic Cauliflower Mash

• 1 whole head garlic
• 1 large head cauliflower (about 2 lb / 900 g), cut into florets
• 4 Tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter or 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (DF)
• ¼–⅓ cup (60–80 ml) warm stock or milk/cream (optional; adjust for texture)
• Kosher salt & black pepper, to taste
• Chives, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)

Mise en Place (Do this first)

• Preheat oven to 325°F / 160°C.
• Pat ribs dry; season all over with salt and pepper.
• Dice onion, celery, carrots; mince garlic.
• Slice the top off the garlic head, drizzle with oil, wrap in foil.

Method

1. Roast the garlic (35–45 min). Place the foil-wrapped garlic on the oven rack and roast until cloves are soft and golden. Set aside to cool.
2. Sear the ribs (8–10 min). Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Brown ribs in batches, 2–3 min per side, until deeply caramelized. Transfer to a plate.
3. Build the aromatics (6–8 min). Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, celery, and carrots with a pinch of salt; cook, stirring, until glossy and lightly caramelized. Stir in garlic; cook 30–45 sec until fragrant.
4. Deglaze & reduce (5–7 min). Pour in red wine; scrape up the fond. Simmer to reduce by about half—you want it syrupy around the vegetables.
5. Braise (2½–3 hrs). Add stock, thyme, and bay; return ribs (bone-side down) and any juices to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and transfer to the oven. Braise 2½–3 hours until the meat is tender and just clings to the bone.
6. Make the mash (15–20 min). Near the end of the braise, boil cauliflower florets in salted water until very tender. Drain well, then return to the hot pot for 1–2 min to steam-off excess moisture. Squeeze the roasted garlic into the pot, add butter (or oil) and just enough warm stock/milk to blend. Mash or purée until smooth; season to taste.
7. Finish the sauce (5–10 min). Transfer ribs to a warm plate. Skim fat from the braising liquid; simmer uncovered a few minutes to a glossy, spoon-coating consistency. Season to taste.
8. Plate. Spoon a bed of cauliflower mash onto plates. Set a rib on top (bone on for presentation). Ladle over the red-wine sauce. Shower with chives.

Pro Tips (from Troy)

• Brown hard, then braise gentle. A deep sear builds flavor; a low, covered simmer makes the ribs silky.
• Presentation matters. Aim for “falling-off-the-bone tenderness” that still lets you serve ribs on the bone.
• Let the mash dry. Steam off excess water before mashing for the silkiest texture.

Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheat

• Make-ahead: Braise improves overnight. Chill ribs in their liquid; remove solidified fat, reheat covered at 300°F / 150°C until hot.
• Storage: 4 days refrigerated; 2 months frozen (sauce separate is best).
• Reheat: Gently on stovetop; thin sauce with a splash of stock as needed.

Substitutions & Variations

• No alcohol: Replace wine with more stock plus 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar.
• Herbs: Add a rosemary sprig with the thyme.
• Dairy-free mash: Use olive oil and stock; skip butter/cream.
• More body in the sauce: Whisk in a cold butter knob at the end (off heat).

Allergen & Dietary Notes

• Naturally gluten-free; ensure stock is GF.
• Dairy present if using butter/cream (see DF option).

Nutrition (per serving, est.)

~720 kcal, 54 g protein, 16 g carbs, 44 g fat, 2 g fiber, 980 mg sodium (varies by stock and fat-skimming)

Pairings

• Drink: Bold reds (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah) or a dry sparkling water with lemon.
• Sides: Bright tomato-burrata salad, crusty bread, or simple greens with vinaigrette.

Troubleshooting

• Tough ribs? Not braised long enough; keep going 20–30 min and retest.
• Thin sauce? Simmer to reduce to a glossy nappe.
• Greasy? Chill briefly and lift off fat, or blot with paper towel then reheat.
• Watery mash? You didn’t steam-dry; return to low heat and stir to evaporate moisture.

Notes & Credits

• Built around Troy’s method: sear, aromatics (onion/celery/carrots/garlic), red-wine deglaze, thyme & bay, ~3-hour braise to “fall-off-the-bone” tenderness, plated over roasted-garlic cauliflower mash and finished with chives.

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