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Braised short ribs and a herby sauce pictured over a bowl of polenta.

Slow Cooker Short Ribs over Creamy Polenta

40aprons.com/crockpot-short-ribs-over-creamy-polenta-gremolata/
Slow cooked short ribs are spooned over a bowl of rich, creamy polenta for the ultimate comfort food meal. A punchy gremolata lifts the whole dish making it totally restaurant-worthy!
Prep 40 minutes
Cook 9 hours 30 minutes
Total 10 hours 10 minutes
Recipe Makes (Approximate): 6

Equipment

  • 6-quart slow cooker

Ingredients

For the Short Ribs

  • 4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs (English cut, see notes)
  • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion (diced)
  • 2 carrots (diced)
  • 2 celery stalks (diced)
  • 6 garlic cloves (smashed)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup dry red wine (such as Cabernet or Merlot)
  • 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1 fresh rosemary sprig
  • 2 bay leaves

For the Polenta

  • 1 cup coarse-ground polenta (not instant)
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

For the Gremolata

  • ½ cup fresh parsley (finely chopped)
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 garlic clove (finely minced)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

For Serving

  • Flaky salt
  • Extra Parmesan (for shaving over the top)

Instructions

For the Short Ribs

  • Trim any thick, hard caps of fat off the short ribs, then pat them very dry and season on all sides with the salt and pepper. Dry meat is the key to a good sear, and trimming now means less grease in your sauce later.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the ribs in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until deeply browned all over. Don't crowd the pan, and don't rush this step, because the browning is where the rich, roasted flavor comes from. Transfer the ribs to the Crockpot as they finish.
  • Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the skillet. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 5 minutes, until softened and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the paste darkens to a brick red. Pour in the wine and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 3 minutes, until reduced by about half, then stir in the broth, balsamic, and Worcestershire.
  • Pour the vegetables and liquid over the ribs in the Crockpot and tuck in the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. The ribs should be mostly submerged but not covered completely. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours, or on high for 5 to 6 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and pulling away from the bone.
  • Carefully transfer the ribs to a plate and tent with foil. Remove the herb stems and bay leaves from the Crockpot. Tilt the Crockpot and skim the fat from the surface of the liquid with a wide spoon, going over it a few times until most of the shiny layer is gone. This is what keeps the sauce rich instead of greasy. Pour the remaining liquid and vegetables into a saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until reduced and glossy enough to coat a spoon. For a smooth sauce, blend it with an immersion blender first. Taste and season with salt and pepper, then return the ribs to the sauce to rewarm.

For the Polenta

  • About 30 minutes before serving, make the polenta. Bring the chicken broth, milk, and salt to a gentle simmer in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the polenta in a thin stream so it doesn't clump. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until thick, creamy, and tender with no gritty bite. If it gets too thick, whisk in a splash of warm broth or milk. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and Parmesan. Taste and adjust the salt.

For the Gremolata

  • Stir the parsley, lemon zest, garlic, and olive oil together in a small bowl.

Serving

  • Spoon a generous mound of polenta into shallow bowls, nestle a short rib on top, and spoon the sauce over everything. Finish with a spoonful of the gremolata, a pinch of flaky salt, and shaved Parmesan.

Recipe Notes

Choosing the right ribs: English cut ribs are thick, meaty, single-bone pieces, different to flanken-style ribs, which are cut across the bone into thin strips with several small bone sections. They'll overcook and turn dry if you use them in this recipe.
Skip the wine: Replace the wine with an extra cup of beef broth. The sauce will taste slightly less complex but still rich. Wine does also add acidity, so taste it at the end as you may want to add a tiny splash more of balsamic, or a little red wine vinegar to make up for this.
Leftovers: All of the leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and leftover short ribs will freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Nutrition Information (Approximate)

Calories: 751calProtein: 52gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 159mgSodium: 1591mgPotassium: 1304mgTotal Carbs: 13gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gNet Carbs: 11gVitamin A: 4336IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 263mgIron: 6mg
Recipe By: Cheryl Malik
https://40aprons.com/crockpot-short-ribs-over-creamy-polenta-gremolata/