This hearty braised dish bursts with flavor, marrying slow-cooked short ribs with roasted garlic and Cipollini onions to warm you right up. 

Preparation

Heat oven to 275°F. Dry short ribs with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.

Heat a Dutch oven (or oven-safe, heavy-bottomed 1-gallon sauce pot with a lid) over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons vegetable oil to the pot and sear short ribs until well browned. Remove short ribs and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil.

Add the diced onion, carrot, celery, and crushed garlic to the pot. Sauté over medium-high heat until the vegetables begin to caramelize. Add the tomato paste and cook until the paste just begins to brown on the bottom of the pot. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add the beef stock, bay leaf, and thyme and return to a boil. Add the short ribs to the liquid and cover with lid. Braise in oven for 2 hours, or until the meat is fork tender and just pulling away from the bone but not falling off.

While the ribs are cooking, heat a small, oven-safe sauté pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil followed by the Cipollini onions. Let onions caramelize on one side and then flip over. Add the whole garlic and put the pan in the oven with the short ribs. Roast onions and garlic until golden brown and tender, about 15–20 minutes. When done, remove from oven and reserve.

When the ribs are done, remove them from the liquid and cover with foil. Strain the braising liquid into a bowl and discard the cooked vegetables. Skim away any rendered fat with a ladle.

Transfer 12 ounces of the braising liquid to a sauté pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the liquid by ⅓, then add the short ribs to the liquid to reheat. Continue to boil until the sauce is lightly thickened, then whisk in the butter and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If sauce becomes too thick, refresh with more of the braising liquid.

Place short ribs in a serving bowl with caramelized Cipollini onions and roasted garlic, spoon sauce over the top, and serve.