On Christmas Day, I want my home to smell like meat, not mistletoe. My family hosted a Christmas party last year, and I volunteered to cook. Searching for meal ideas, I came across an article on Bon Appétit’s website called, “Wine-Braised Short Ribs, Meet Our Friend Pasta.” I would say that pasta is a good friend of mine, and I wanted my good friend to meet something as beautiful as wine-braised short ribs.

I was new to braising, but I was drawn to the idea of letting something cook on its own while I did nothing. The recipe was simple—braise the short ribs, shred the meat, create a ragù, boil the pasta, and combine. Most of the ingredients were pantry staples such as canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and beef stock, so I just had to get garlic, carrots, onions, short ribs, and a bottle of dry red wine.

The recipe called for English-style short ribs where the ribs are cut parallel to the bone. While none of the short ribs at my supermarket were labeled “English-style,” most supermarkets usually only have English-style short ribs as opposed to flanken style, which is cut thinly across the bone. Flanken-style short ribs are common in Korean barbecue and are grilled for around five minutes; English-style short ribs are perfect for braising because each rib has a large chunk of meat that breaks down over time.

On Christmas Day, I started cooking before the guests arrived. First, I seasoned the short ribs with a heavy dose of salt and pepper. I added a layer of canola oil to the bottom of a Dutch oven, and I seared each side of the short ribs until brown. I knew my guests were in for a treat as soon as I smelled the beefy char. Once the short ribs were done it was time to build the flavor of what would eventually be the ragù. I removed the short ribs, which looked delicious from the outside, and set them aside. I started cooking chopped garlic, carrots, and onions with the leftover juices and bits from the short ribs.

While my vegetables were cooking, I poured a can of whole tomatoes into a bowl and crushed them by hand. This created a chunky consistency with varying textures that I wouldn’t have gotten from pre-crushed tomatoes. I squeezed a generous amount of tomato paste into the vegetables, and stirred until the mixture turned brick red.

I popped the cork off a bottle of red wine—I chose cabernet sauvignon because that’s what came up when I Googled “dry red wine”—and poured half the bottle in with the vegetables.
I replaced the short ribs bone side up into the Dutch oven along with the crushed tomatoes and a couple splashes of beef stock. I placed the lid on the pot, put it in the 350-degree oven, and set a timer for two and a half hours. For that time I was able to enjoy the Christmas party while the short ribs braised.

After the timer went off, I retrieved the Dutch oven. I placed the short ribs on to a plate, and I cooked some pappardelle.

While the pasta boiled, I shredded the meat before tossing it in the ragù. The glistening piles of short rib made it difficult to avoid snacking. The meat was fatty and earthy, and it had to be shared.

To complete the dish, I combined the pappardelle with the sauce and mixed it until each strand of pasta was evenly coated. Every time I lifted the pasta, the smell of beef, tomatoes, and wine wafted through the air. I don’t remember if I called my guests down to dinner, but by the time the food made it to the dining table, people were seated.

It’s very possible to braise meat and dry it out. The key to braising is to cook low and slow. While my short ribs weren’t dry, they definitely could have been more tender. I have yet to recreate this dish, but when I do, I will reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees and braise for three hours. Regardless, the final product may have been the best gift given that year.