Creamy Polenta Braised Beef (Printable)

Velvety polenta paired with tender, fall-off-the-bone braised beef short ribs and a rich sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Braised Beef Short Ribs

01 - 4 bone-in beef short ribs (approximately 1.75 lbs total)
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 large onion, diced
05 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
09 - 1 cup dry red wine
10 - 2 cups beef broth
11 - 1 sprig fresh rosemary
12 - 2 sprigs fresh thyme
13 - 2 bay leaves

→ Creamy Polenta

14 - 4 cups water
15 - 1 cup coarse cornmeal (polenta)
16 - 1 cup whole milk
17 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
18 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
19 - Salt, to taste
20 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 325°F. Season short ribs generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the short ribs on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
03 - Add diced onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until softened, then add minced garlic and cook an additional minute.
04 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in red wine, scraping browned bits from the bottom, and simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
05 - Incorporate beef broth, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Return short ribs with their juices to the pot and bring to a simmer.
06 - Cover and transfer the pot to the oven. Braise for 2½ to 3 hours until meat is tender and easily pulls from the bone.
07 - Thirty minutes before ribs finish, bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in polenta, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently, until thick and creamy, about 20 to 25 minutes.
08 - Stir in whole milk, unsalted butter, and grated Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Maintain over very low heat, adding more milk if necessary for desired creaminess.
09 - Remove short ribs from braising liquid. Discard herbs and bay leaves. Skim fat and simmer sauce to reduce if desired. Serve short ribs atop creamy polenta, spooning sauce over the top.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The ribs practically melt on your tongue after hours in the oven, no awkward gnawing required.
  • Polenta is secretly the easiest thing to master once you understand it doesn't need to be fussy or frightening.
  • This dish looks restaurant-worthy but asks almost nothing of you during those crucial hours of cooking.
  • Red wine in the sauce means you get to drink the rest of the bottle guilt-free while everything braises.
02 -
  • Polenta demands constant stirring or it will seize up and develop lumps that feel personal and insulting; set a timer if you need to, and stir every minute.
  • The ribs are done when the meat pulls away from the bone with almost no resistance—if it still clings, give it more time; overcooked braised meat is still tender, undercooked meat is just tough.
  • Don't skip the searing step for the ribs; this brief moment of high heat creates the deep, complex flavors that everything else builds on.
03 -
  • Make this dish a day ahead; the flavors deepen overnight, and reheating is as simple as covering everything and sliding it back into a 325°F oven for 20 minutes.
  • If your sauce seems too fatty, chill the braising liquid overnight and skim the solidified fat from the top before reheating.
  • A splash of cream stirred into the finished polenta makes it even more luxurious, though this will push you decidedly into decadent territory.

Return