Short Ribs & Gravy with Buttered Noodles

 

This Amazing Dinner was a hit! A hearty homey dinner perfect for a Sunday meal or a chilly evening! I had been thinking of the german buttered noodles that are perfectly salty and buttered. A great side dish when you may want something different than mashed potatoes! I roasted some carrots to add a pop of colour to the dish and served a salad on the side! Using a few new cooking techniques, I was very happy with the way it turned out! Everyone Enjoyed this one!

Short Ribs & Gravy

1 package of Short Ribs

1 tbsp. Olive oil

1 Vidalia Onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled

1 bunch of herbs: 1 bay leaf, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary all tied together with kitchen string.

2 tbsp. Tomato paste

1/2 cup or slightly more of Red wine

2 1/2 cups beef stock

1/2 cup flour 

Salt & Pepper

Gravy Thickener: 1 tbsp. Butter & 1 tbsp. Flour mixed into a ball

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Salt & Pepper the Short Ribs on all sides. Dredge the Short Ribs in the flour and tap them to release any extra flour. 

In a Dutch oven, heat the oil. Add the Short Ribs and brown each side approximately 7 minutes in total. Remove from the pot. 

Discard the excess oil out of the pot. Add the onion, carrot and garlic in the hot dutch oven. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add in the red wine, and the herbs. Reduce the wine to half approximately 5 minutes. Add in half of the beef stock and using a wooden spoon, scape the flavours off the bottom and the sides. This is where your flavour is! Add the short ribs back into the pot. Use more stock to make sure that 1/2 - 3/4 of the short ribs are covered in liquid. Add in your Tomato paste and stir really good.

In a 325 degree oven, finish the dish in the oven. Cover the dutch oven and cook for 2 hours. 

Remove the Short Ribs from the pot and cover them with aluminum foil to rest.

To Make The Gravy:

Using a fine sieve, drain all of the liquid into a medium saucepan. Add any remaining beef stock that you may have from above. I used approximately 1 cup extra of beef stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce by a third. A little trick is once its reduced a bit, pour the stock into a smaller pot and continue reducing. This will take approximately 10-15 minutes. 

During this time, add 1 tbsp. of butter to a small bowl and 1 tbsp. of flour. Form this mixture into a ball. This is a great way to thicken the gravy without there being chunks of flour in your gravy. It produces a beautiful silky colour. 

To finish, add pieces of the flour/butter mix whisking steadily. The finished gravy will have a gorgeous silky smooth gravy. Add pepper. 

To Assemble pour this rich gravy over the short rib meat. Serve hot buttered noodles on the side and roasted carrots. Enjoy!

Buttered Noodles

8 cups water

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 package of wide egg noodles

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup butter

1 tsp. Parsley

1/2 cup ritz crackers, crushed (optional)

Directions:

Add 1 1/2 bouillon cubes to 8 cups of water in a medium pot, bring to a boil. Add noodles and cook 1 minute longer than the package suggests. 

While the noodles are cooking, add 1/2 cup water, 1/2 chicken bouillon and butter to a microwave safe measuring cup. Microwave for 45 seconds. Sir. If the butter is not completed melted, microwave for 30 more seconds. Stir good and set aside.

When the noodles are done, drain water and do not rinse. Add the pasta back to the pot and then pour the butter mixture and parsley. Mix over heat for a minute or so. 

Serve immediately and crush ritz crackers on top if you would like.