Short ribs, my favorite cut of beef, benefit from very long, very slow cooking. A cross-section of beef ribs, the short rib is lined with sinew and fat. This folly of anatomy can make short ribs impossibly tough if cooked
improperly, or resolutely tender and rich if prepared well. Cooking meat on the bone, especially over a long period of time, infuses it with flavor and here that flavor is further enhanced with slow braising in wine and sundried tomatoes.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 8 bone-in beef short ribs (about 7½ pounds)
• ½ teaspoon finely ground unrefined sea salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or lard, plus more if needed
• 4 ounces bacon, finely chopped
• 4 carrots, peeled and diced
• 6 ribs celery, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary needles
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 cups dry red wine, plus more if needed
• 2 cups Beef Bone Broth, plus more if needed
• 2 bay leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 250°F.
2. Trim the ribs of any sinew or silver skin with a sharp knife, then rinse them and pat them dry.
3. Sprinkle the ribs with the salt and pepper and set them on a plate.
4. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. When it froths, stir in the bacon and fry it until it releases its fat and turns brown and crispy, about 6 minutes.
5. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl.
6. Increase the heat to high and, working in batches to avoid crowding, place the short ribs in the pot. Brown them for 1 minute on each side, then return them to the plate.
7. When all the ribs have been browned, decrease the heat to medium and add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to the pot. Fry the vegetables, adding more butter if necessary, until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
8. While the vegetables cook, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, rosemary, and thyme in a mortar and pound them with a pestle until they form a uniform paste. Alternatively, process the tomatoes and herbs in a food processor until they form a paste.
9. Stir the tomato and herb paste into the Dutch oven, then return the short ribs and bacon to the pan. Stir in the wine and broth.
10. Drop in the bay leaves, then cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Leave the pot in the oven for 6 hours, until the meat falls off the bone under the firm pressure of a fork.
11. Check on the contents from time to time and add more wine or broth as necessary to keep the ribs covered.
12. Remove the bay leaves and serve.