Slow & Low Short Ribs

For when you fail at “slow life” once again

The background of this photo was AI-generated; the rest is authentic

Prep time: 20 min | Total time: ~ 4 hours (hey, you are the one that chose slow life) | Difficulty: 1/5

Sometimes I entertain the illusion that I've reached peak adulthood – you know, the type who savours a two-hour coffee ritual with a morning paper, meticulously dusts every nook of their Tuscan villa, and then spends the afternoon lost in the garden, talking to their orchids. I get carried away and start justifying spending four hours on cooking something elaborate just because time isn’t real, I have no responsibilities, and there is hope in the world.

I slowly walk to the butcher, cheerfully discuss the latest gossip in the bovine department, and on the way back stop by the florist to pick up some more orchids, because apparently I’m obsessed with them.

Reality hits as soon as I reach home. I don’t live in Tuscany, the world is on fire, and I don’t own a single vase. And on top of that now I’m stuck with two kilos of ribs.

The only good news is that this Slow & Low recipe only requires a little bit of effort (which is all I have in me anyway), and after a quick assembly, I can conveniently forget they exist for a few hours and get back to my doomscrolling routine. Like a normal person.

Ingredients (serves 2)

Short ribs (or a different beef cut) 500g / 1 pound
All-purpose flour 15 g / 2 tbsp
Salt & pepper to taste
Olive oil 30 ml / 2 tbsp
Onion 1
Garlic 2 cloves
Tomato paste 1 tbsp
Red wine (my rule of thumb when choosing wine for cooking is that I won’t spend more than €10 on it, but it must be decent enough to drink on its own) 250 ml / 1 cup
Beef stock or bone broth 500 ml / 2 cups
Rosemary 2 sprigs
Thyme 2 sprigs
Bay leaf 1

Serving Ideas

Mashed potatoes are my go-to
But it also works great over pasta, rice, or whatever other carb you fancy
Sprinkle some chives or scallions on top for a pop of colour and freshness

Equipment

Shallow bowl
Skillet
Dutch oven (or some other oven-friendly pot with a lid)
Cutting board
Knife
Tongs

Method

Preheat your oven to 160°C (325°F). In a shallow bowl, mix the flour, salt, and pepper. Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels, then coat them evenly with the flour mixture
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Once hot, add the short ribs and sear them on all sides until browned, about 2-3 minutes per side (if necessary, work in batches, but don’t overcrowd the skillet). Remove the ribs from the skillet and set them aside
Roughly chop the onion and garlic, and add to the same skillet. Cook until they start to soften and turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes, allowing it to caramelise
Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine simmer until it stops smelling boozy, about 3-4 minutes.
Transfer the onion and garlic wine concoction to the Dutch oven. Place the seared short ribs on top. Pour in the beef stock or bone broth until the ribs are mostly submerged. Add the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf
Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Let the ribs cook for 3-4 hours, or until the meat is super tender and falls off the bone. Start checking in about 2,5 hours, but don’t fret — these ribs take their sweet time
Once done, remove the Dutch oven from your other, citizenship-less oven. Carefully transfer the ribs to serving plates. Strain the cooking liquid and serve it alongside the ribs as a sauce

Dealing with Leftovers

Let cool completely, and keep in an airtight container, also known as Tupperware, for up to 3 days