stick to my ribs

I recently have discovered that there is an entire world of internet readers who abhor the pioneer woman. I find this fascinating. I hope to be so popular one day, that people dedicate hours and hours to hating me. Sounds awesome right?

I read the pioneer woman, I even cook her recipes from time to time. She loves some butter and cheese. I love some butter and cheese. Sounds like we should get along just fine.

I have been craving polenta for quite some time and I decided to peruse her recipes for something to pair with polenta. I have not been very adventurous when it comes to cooking different types of meat but when I found her braised short ribs and cheesy polenta posts, I felt pretty confident that I could put this in my belly.



I thought this was pretty damn good my friends. Eat it and enjoy!
Recipe adopted from The Pioneer Woman

Beef Short Ribs

8 whole Beef Short Ribs
Kosher Salt and Pepper To Taste
1/4 cup All-purpose Flour
3 pieces bacon, chopped
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
3 whole Carrots, Diced
2 cups Red Wine
2 cups Beef Broth (enough To Almost Cover Ribs)

Preparation Instructions
Salt and pepper ribs, then dredge in flour. Set aside.
In a large dutch oven or cast iron skillet (which is what I used), cook bacon over medium heat until crispy, remove bacon and keep the grease.

Add olive oil to pan with the bacon grease if needed (I only needed about 1 tblsp oil), and raise heat to high. Brown ribs on all sides, about 45 seconds per side. Remove ribs and set aside. Turn heat to medium.

Add onions and carrots to pan and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape bottom of pan. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes.

Add broth, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Taste and add more salt if needed. Add ribs to the liquid; they should be almost completely submerged.

Put on the lid and place into the oven. Cook at 350 for 2 hours, then reduce heat to 325 and cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes. Ribs should be fork-tender and falling off the bone. Remove pan from oven and allow to sit for at least 20 minutes, lid on, before serving. At the last minute, skim fat off the top of the liquid. (Can also refrigerate mixture, then remove solid fat from the top.)
Serve 2 ribs on bed of creamy polenta, spooning a little juice over the top.

Cheesy Polenta

Ingredients
1 cup Yellow Cornmeal
1 teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Butter
4 ounces, manchego cheese

Preparation Instructions
Bring 4 1/2 cups water to a boil.
Add cornmeal to the water in a thin stream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.
Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes, adding salt and extra tablespoons of water as needed.
When polenta is done, stir in butter and cheese. Add salt to taste