Recipes from the Collection of Mark and Danielle Hughes

Beef short ribs braised in dark beer

Serves 8

6-8 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 pound bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium red onions, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch rounds
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 bottles stout, such as Guinness Extra Stout
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 cups beef stock or a combination of beef and chicken stock

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Trim excess fat off ribs and season on all sides with salt and pepper. In a large, heavy-based ovenproof pot, heat oil until very hot.

Working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding, brown ribs well on all sides, adding more oil if needed. Remove ribs from pan and pour off rendered fat but don't clean pot.

Add bacon and cook until most of its fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, another 2 minutes. Add stout, vinegar and beef stock. Put short ribs back into pot. Bring liquid to a boil. Cover pot and cook ribs in oven until fork-tender, about 2 hours, 15 minutes. (Begin checking at 2 hours.) Take lid off pot and continue cooking ribs, uncovered, 15 minutes.

Very carefully, so meat does not break apart, transfer ribs and onions to a rimmed platter or sheet pan and keep warm. Degrease cooking liquid, if necessary. Bring liquid to a boil and cook until reduced by at least a third. Serve ribs with some of liquid as gravy.

Per serving: 545 calories, 37g protein, 39g fat (15g saturated), 9g carbohydrate, 503mg sodium, 120mg cholesterol, trace dietary fiber.

''Bistro Cooking at Home,'' by Gordon Hamersley

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