Braised Grass Fed Beef Short Rib Mushroom Barley Risotto

This is high quality, slow comfort food. An impressive yet not overly complicated entertaining meal, or perfect fall/winter family meal. Short ribs are excellent made a day ahead and re-warmed, the flavours seem to enhance overnight. You can use arborio rice like a traditional risotto but I think the short rib/mushroom/red wine/barley combination is heavenly. Barley risottos are also quicker to prepare as the liquid absorbs more rapidly.

Short Rib Ingredients

3- 3 1/2 lb beef short ribs

4 cups beef broth (see our Grassfed Beef Bone Broth) or low sodium store bought

2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup good red wine

1 cup peeled pearl onions or 1 chopped sweet onion

Fresh thyme or rosemary

2 garlic cloves

Risotto Ingredients

4 cups stock (beef, chicken or vegetable)

1 cup water

1/2 cup dry white wine

1.5 cups pearl barley (do not pre-soak)

1 garlic clove

2 cups sliced mushrooms (cremini or brown are my favourite)

1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan

1 shallot

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

Fresh thyme

Directions Short Ribs

Remove ribs from freezer, unwrap and fully thaw. Season generously with salt and pepper and let stand to room temperature, approximately 30 - 45 minutes.

In a large skillet over medium heat olive oil. Working in batches with tongs brown all sides of each rib. approximately 2 minutes per side. The beef will begin to carmelize and shouldn’t stick to the pan. If it sticks you haven’t browned enough. Repeat until all short ribs are done. Place in slow cooker and set aside.

Remove excess fat from skillet and deglaze by adding wine and scraping up the crunchy bits of meat. Reduce to half by cooking at medium for 2-3 minutes. Then add to slow cooker.

Add beef bone broth or stock, minced garlic, whole sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary, peeled pearl onions and turn to low for 7-8 hours. (If short on time slow cooker can be set at high for 4-5 hours.) The meat will be extremely tender and fall off the bone.

Directions Risotto

Place stock and water in medium saucepan and bring to slow simmer. Meanwhile heat olive oil in another skillet and saute mushrooms, adding shallot and stirring 4-5 minutes. Skillet should be dry but not burning. Now add the pearl barley to toast briefly. Stir constantly for a minute or two, then add garlic. Garlic will burn easily so stir for no more than 30 seconds then remove from heat.

Add white wine to the rice skillet and bring to boil. Cook this until thickened and reduced to half, this should only take 2-3 minutes, now stirring constantly add 1 cup of warm stock mixture at a time, stirring until most of the liquid has been absorbed, then repeat. When all stock has been added risotto will be tender. Remove from heat, stir in parmesan, salt and pepper to taste.

Remove pearl onions from short ribs and serve over the risotto. Short ribs can be served alongside risotto or bone removed and stir the shredded beef through the risotto. Garnish with fresh thyme and a few parmesan curls.

This recipe was inspired by Flavourthemoments.com