Nicki Morse’s Test Kitchen: Balsamic-Braised Short Ribs

I was trying to decide what to do for dinner when I realized that I needed to try to make something from the Mr. Food test kitchen for myself. I took my recipe from “Cook it Slow, Cook it Fast” book, and with all the delicious recipes to try, I found it extremely difficult to decide what to make.

It certainly didn’t help I was hungry when I was looking, but after narrowing down my choices – and having some co-workers break the tie – I decided on balsamic-braised short ribs. Not just because of how mouth-wateringly delicious it sounded… but also because this would be a new cooking experience for me, as I tend to gravitate towards pork ribs.

I love cooking with a crock pot. Besides the small amount of prep work, it basically does all the hard work for me. I love a machine that embraces my laziness, and you can’t argue with the results when you do a crock pot right. The recipe was very easy to follow and done within a few hours. I started mine around three o’clock and it was done by seven… on high, of course.

Take a look at my finished dish, and know that it tasted as good as it looks!

If you’re interested in trying this out for yourself (and you should be!) here’s the recipe I followed, straight out of “Cook it Slow, Cook it Fast”:

Balsamic-Braised Short Ribs

3 pounds beef short ribs
1 1/2 tbls Kosher Salt
1 1/2 tbls Black pepper
1 1/2 tbls olive oil
2 celery stalks, cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 large onion sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1) Sprinkle short ribs with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add ribs and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until just browned.
2) Place ribs in a 5-quart or larger slow cooker, fat side up. Top with remaining ingredients, toss gently to coat.
3) Cover and cook on low 7 to 8 hours or on high 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until meat is fall-apart tender.
4) Remove ribs and sauce to a serving platter, discard bay leaf, and serve