Braised Short Ribs

Season the short ribs with 1 tbsp thyme and the cracked black pepper, coating well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Take the short ribs out of the refrigerator an hour before cooking and bring to room temperature. After 30 minutes, season on all sides generously with salt.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Heat a large Dutch oven over high heat for 3 minutes. Add 3 tbsp olive oil and wait a minute or two. Add the ribs and sear until nicely browned on all three meaty sides. You may need to do it in batches, do not overcrowd and take your time. Remove ribs to a plate to rest.

Turn the heat down to medium and add the onion, carrot, celery, thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up all the crusty bits in the pan. Cook 6-8 minutes, until the vegetables just begin to caramelize. Add the balsamic vinegar, port, and red wine. Turn the heat up to high, and reduce the liquid by half.

Add the stock and bring to a boil. Arrange ribs in the pot, lying flat, bones standing up, in one layer. The stock should almost cover the ribs. Tuck the parsley in and around the meat. Cover tightly with foil and a lid; braise in the oven for 3 hours.

To check for doneness, remove the lid carefully and pierce a rib with a paring knife. Take the pot out of the oven and let the ribs rest 10 minutes in their juices. (You can refrigerate it if you want and then skim the fat off when it solidifies; it’s easier.)

Turn the oven up to 400 degrees. Put the ribs on a baking sheet and brown in the oven 10-15 minutes.

Strain the broth into a saucepan, pressing down on the vegetables with a ladle to extract all the juices. Skim the fat (if you didn’t already) and reduce the broth if it seems thin. Taste for seasoning.

Before serving, spoon plenty of juices over the ribs.