Ireland: Guinness Braised Short Ribs

Happy St. Paddy’s day!

An Irish Recipe for an Irish Day! And here we are, skipping yet another country lottery in exchange for a celebration happening somewhere in the globe today. It’s St. Patrick’s day and we are planning an Irish recipe! We’ve got Guinness Braised Short Ribs. I’ve got to say, growing up this was not a big to-do celebration in my house. On the other hand, Ireland touches a little more near and dear to my better half who hail the name.

Weirdly enough, I am the one of the two of us who has been to Ireland. Chris is one of the most well traveled people I’ve ever met and seems to have gone everywhere. Except here, the land of his roots and the origins of the red hair he once had. You’ve heard some blips about my post-college graduating, obligatory Euro backpacking trip. The part I haven’t told you yet is that I spent over a week exploring all over the country of Ireland.

I have to divulge at least some of the travel story…

The real adventure started learning how to drive on the left in approximately one and a half minutes of being in Ireland. It was literally learning it all before the parking lot at the car rental entered the road. I really was so much braver back then. It is hard to retrain yourself on which way to check for traffic – but you only need to make that mistake once to learn real quick. We did eventually drive all over that country though, starting in Dublin, moving along south to County Cork and Killarney, finishing in the west side near Limerick. And you better believe, I kissed the Blarney Stone.

In a quick review, I understand why its the setting of so many of my lovey-dovey romantic movies I’ve been engrossed in this year. IT IS GORGEOUS. There really were just acres and acres of roaming sheep in rolling green hills. The quaint, cute villages comforted my soul so quickly, for a girl hiding her nerves from being so far from home for the very first time. The stories held in the walls of the all those old castles and churches along way. The coastal fishing towns and dramatic cliffs to an endless ocean. Pure magic.

Then there was another side to Ireland we quickly discovered. The late nights at the pubs and bars. The fiddle players and street performers. A hotel perfectly situated next door to the Jameson distillery. Irish coffees, yes, please.

So Ireland, thanks for the memories. Thanks for the good times. Here’s a toast to celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with you now with a traditional Irish Recipe. Here’s to thinking we’d get a break from potatoes.

Ireland: Guinness Braised Short Ribs

Ingredients:

• 6 bone-in short ribs,
• 1/4 c. flour
• 5 carrots, cut in fourths
• 4 celery ribs, cut in fourths
• 2 shallots, diced
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Prep the veggies. This may be the easiest prep yet. I like to load it up with the veggies. The kids seem to have a different taste. Look at me being all super mom.
2. Next, start coating the ribs in a light coating of flour before browning them in olive oil for several minutes on each side. I always get a little antsy waiting here, like I might overcooked the meat.

3. Once the meat has browned remove from the pot and sauté the vegetables until the shallots are soft. The carrots and celery may still be crunchy, that is ok!

4. Add the Guinness, Worcestershire sauce, and remaining ingredients (except the slurry) to the pot. Let it simmer away for 10 minutes or so and be sure to scrape the browning bits off the bottom. That’s the flavor!

5. Add the cornstarch slurry and lightly stir until the sauce begins to thicken up a little. Add the meat back to the pot. Don’t fully submerge it, you’ll get stewed meat. Cover the pot and cook at 325 degrees for two and half hours.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day enjoy this fun Irish recipe! Be sure not to skip the mashed potatoes – it’s my favorite part! And be sure to check out meals for other fun celebration days: Oktoberfest (Schnitzel), Canada Day (Poutine), Lunar New Year (Pork Dumplings)

File: Ireland: Guinness Braised Short Ribs