Slow-Cooked Beef Short Ribs

Today it feels like Summer has just turned to Winter. So instead of the traditional Sunday Roast, some proper comfort food is in order, courtesy of Gordon F#?!ing Ramsay. Short beef ribs along with Lamb Shanks, Pigs Cheeks, Pulled Pork Shoulder etc. are amazing cuts of meat, full of flavour, yet amazing value too. The slow cooking allows the fat to render, moisturising and tenderising the meat and thus intensifying the taste.

Anyway, for two hungry souls you will need: 2 Thick cut beef short ribs, 1 head of garlic cut in half horizontally, 1 tbsp. tomato puree, 250ml red wine, 400ml beef stock, 100g pancetta lardons, 150g chestnut mushrooms halved, handful of chopped flat leaf parsley, seasoning.

1. Pour yourself a glass of wine. If you're only using 250ml, why not?
2. Pre-heat oven to 170 / Gas mark 3.
3. Season ribs, then brown on all sides in some olive oil in a deep roasting tray.
4. Add the garlic, cut side down followed by the tomato puree. After a minute, add the wine to deglaze. Bring up to the boil and reduce by half. Now add the stock, simmer for a couple of minutes and baste the ribs.
5. Remove from heat and cover with foil. Place in over for 3-4 hours, turning and basting every hour until the meat comes away from the bone.
6. Just before the ribs are done, fry the pancetta until golden. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender.
7. Transfer the ribs to a serving dish. Squeeze the garlic out into the sauce and blend.
8. Pour sauce over the ribs and top with the mushrooms, bacon and parsley.

Serve with steamed greens and chive mash and of course the remaining wine.