Pomegranate molasses, Manischewitz wine, and black bean garlic sauce are the secret ingredients that make these “fall off the bone” short ribs so tender and delicious! Created by Noah Jacobs of Jacob & Sons, (a Portland, Oregon-based virtual supper club and meal delivery), this is by far our favorite short rib recipe! And, you won’t be toiling over the stove for hours and hours. This recipe is really easy to prepare and then, you just let the short ribs braise in the oven for three hours or so and your guests will truly believe you’ve been cooking all day!
We first had this dish at a big holiday gathering a few years ago and our taste buds were dancing with joy! My whole family wanted (well, needed) the recipe, which Noah was kind enough to share with us! He also makes amazing lamb chops, which we’ve put on our regular meal rotation as well … they are indescribably yummy for all of you lamb lovers out there!
Wondering what to serve these with?
They pair beautifully with so many sides, and we love them with mashed cauliflower or sweet potatoes, regular mashed potatoes or even polenta! Any or all of them are perfect with this dish, but for the prettiest look, use the orange-colored sweet potatoes! The bright orange looks so pretty on the plate with the short ribs. Serve the ribs on top of a bed of the side dish!
Noah’s Pomegranate Braised Short Ribs
Ingredients
- 4 pounds short ribs can use bone-in or boneless; bone-in takes about 20% longer to cook
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 bottle Manischewitz Concord Grape Wine 750 ml
- 6 oz. Asian garlic and black bean sauce Noah uses one jar, but we like just a little less
- 2 yellow onions roughly chopped
- 1 cup coarsely chopped carrots optional
- 1 bunch fresh thyme roughly chopped
- 1 handful garlic cloves peeled and sliced (5-6 cloves)
- 1/2 cup pomegranate molasses store-bought or make your own-recipe below
- Garlic salt
Pomegranate Molasses
- 2 cups pomegranate juice
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Smashed Sweet Potatoes
- Note- this is how I make them, but Noah makes a much fancier version which is below
- 2 large sweet potatoes I use the brighter orange ones that we call yams in the stores
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Short Ribs
- It’s just a fact, short ribs are going to have some fat, and that is what makes them so tasty and tender! But, you can trim the excess fat before searing them for a little leaner version, if you like. We usually do this.
- Season ribs lightly with salt and pepper,
- Heat olive oil in a large frying pan or Dutch oven. I like to use the Dutch oven, because that way I have only one dish for browning and baking and can keep the meat scrapings and juices in the pan when I go to bake it.
- In batches, sear short ribs until browned. When all are browned, place all of the short ribs back into the Dutch oven or a roasting pan with the meat scrapings and juices. Toss the onions over the top and add the black bean garlic sauce, thyme, raw garlic, pomegranate molasses and the whole bottle of Manischewitz. If meat is not completely covered with wine, add enough water to just cover the meat.
- Cover pan tightly in foil or use the lid of your Dutch oven, and braise at 325 F for about 2.5 to 3 hours. You will know when the short ribs are done as they should be able to be pulled apart by forks, but not completely falling apart. Your house will start smelling divine and the hunger pangs will set in at just about the 1.5 hour mark!
Serving
- When the short ribs are done, we serve them just as is and spoon the chunky braising juices/sauce over the top. But, Noah blends the braising liquid to arrive at a smooth sauce consistency. Here is his method:
- When done, remove meat from braising liquid and set aside. Place braising liquid in the blender, and blend until very smooth. Depending upon how fatty the short ribs are, this sauce may be perfect as is. If the short ribs are super lean, it may still be a little bit tart. If it’s too tart, add about half a stick of butter to it and continue to blend. Clean roasting pan for use again later.
- Season to taste with garlic salt. If you want to be fancy, you can run the sauce through a chinois, to make it super smooth, but it’s not strictly necessary for everyday presentation. (Susie’s note: I don’t blend the sauce at all, because my family loves the chunkiness of the onions in the sauce.)
- Add the sauce back over the short ribs in the same roasting pan. At this point, they can hold for up to three days. If you are going to serve them the day of, put them back in the low oven, uncovered at 325 F for another 30-45 minutes until you are ready to serve. If you are reheating from chilling them in the refrigerator, they will probably need about an hour at 350 to get yummy!
Pomegranate Molasses
- Place all ingredients in a 4-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook until reduced to about 3/4 cup.
Smashed Sweet Potatoes
- Bake sweet potatoes in 350 F oven for approximately 45 minutes, or until cooked all the way through and soft. Cool until able to handle. While still warm, remove meat from skins and place in a bowl. Smash with a potato masher or with an electric beater. Fold in butter and season with salt.
Noah’s Whipped Sweet Potatoes
- Noah peels and boils the sweet potatoes until tender and then whips them along with butter and salt until they are super fluffy like a mousseline. He also does several different versions of these which include black truffle butter, or fresh truffles if you can find them, or maple syrup, or mild red peppers such as Aleppo or Espelette. He makes a bed of potatoes and serves the short ribs on top of them.
