Cider Braised Short Ribs

braised beef rib with rosemary chips

I don’t cook beef often. I grew up eating a lot of grizzly, burnt steak that has turned me (unfairly) against red meat. I do appreciate a nice piece of rare meat on occasion, though it’s something I like to order at a restaurant more often than cook myself. So, I wanted to create a simple beef meal that even a steak-phobic cook like me couldn’t mess up.

tender beef, success!

Cider Braised Short Ribs

4 beef short ribs
1/2 cup apple cider
1 star anise
1/2 tsp peppercorns
1/2 tsp whole cloves
2 tbsp butter, divided
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sifted flour

beef short ribs

Wash ribs, pat dry, season with salt and pepper. In a large saute pan, melt 1 tbsp butter and oil over medium high heat, until bubbles start to dissolve. Brown the ribs on all four sides – searing quickly for 1- 2 mins per side, using tongs to turn over.

Deglaze the pan with the cider. Place the ribs into the slow cooker, and scrape the brown bits with the cider and pour over ribs. Toss in your seasonings (peppercorns, cloves, star anise) and cook to internal temp of 145, or about 1  to 1 1/2 hour on high.

Once the meat is cooked, place on a cutting board or plate to rest. In a small saucepan, make a quick roux of 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp flour over medium-low heat. Once the roux is well combined but not too dry, pour the cider mix from the slow cooker through a sieve (to catch the cloves and star anise) into the pan. Stir until the gravy is an even consistency. If your gravy is too thick, you can thin it with a dash of cider.

Spread 2 tbsp gravy onto each plate, and place rib over the gravy. Serve with potatoes of your choice.

cider braised ribs with gravy