Root Beer Braised Short Ribs w/ Burgundy Mushrooms served over Parmesan Polenta

I am super excited to share this amazing dish with you! It came to me in a series of angelic moments inspiring me and hopefully inspiring you to get in the kitchen. I promise your home will not smell any better. Short ribs are one of the least expensive cuts of meat and create meals that warm your heart and soul.

This beef dish doesn’t taste like root beer, instead it carries flavors both sweet and savory with juices that explode onto the creamy polenta. The wine marries together the mushroom dish, but a cognac could work as well.

Typically in a restaurant a dish like this could cost you anywhere from $18- $23 per head not including tip or drinks, but if you make it in your own home it will cost you more like $10 per person AND that includes the leftover wine for drinking and large helpings.

All you need to make delectable short ribs is time. You need to cook these on a temp of at least 300-350 degrees for several hours so the collagen breaks down and the meat falls apart. This would be great to prepare while you are at the office in a slow cooker.

Root Beer Braised Short Ribs – (Servings 2-3)

Marinade Time: 1-4 hours. The ribs actually soak in the root beer.

Cook Time: 4 hours in a Slow Cooker on high – 2.5 hours in 350 degree oven covered w/foil.

Marinade

• Root Beer
• 3 Garlic cloves (roughly chopped)
• salt

Braising Ingredients

• 1 lb short rib (boneless or bone-in)
• 4 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1 cup baby carrots
• Yellow onion (sliced)
• Beef Bouillon (1/2 cube)
• 1/4 cup dry red wine (cognac could work too.)
• 1-1/2 cups Beef broth (low sodium)
• 1 cup root beer
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon butter

Season your meat with a sprinkle of salt. Add to a zip lock bag and pour root beer over top – just enough to cover. Add in the chopped garlic and close. Move around with your fingers gently squishing the marinade around and massaging the meat. Store in your fridge for 1 hour and up to 4 hours.

In the meantime, chop your onion and garlic.

Once your meat is marinaded heat up a tablespoon of butter in pan on med-high heat. You want to get a nice sear on the meat which means the pan needs to be hot. Using tongs gently place the meat pieces into the fry pan.

Brown for 3-4 minutes on each side.

Into your crock pot, add the onion, baby carrots, rosemary sprig and garlic. Lay the pieces of browned meat (they should still be raw on the inside) onto the bed of veggies.

In the pan you cooked the meat in turn down to low and pour in the beef broth – scraping up the pieces at the bottom of the pan. Add in the bouillon until dissolved. Pour into the crock pot over the meat and veggies. Pour in the wine and root beer. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Give a stir and set to high, stirring on occasion.

Burgundy Mushrooms Cook Time: 20-30 minutes

• 8 0z. brown mushrooms
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary (Dry use 1 teaspoon)
• 1/4 cup yellow onion (diced)
• 4 garlic cloves (finely diced)
• Bouillion (1/2 cube)
• 1/4 cup Red Wine
• 1/4 cup beef broth

Slice your mushrooms. In a small pot heat up 3 tablespoons of butter. Add in your chopped onion and rosemary, stir. Next add in the mushrooms. Season with a little bit of salt and heat from 3-5 minutes, stirring. Gradually pour your red wine and beef broth. Add in the bouillon and stir again. Cover with a lid simmering on low for 30 – 45 min.

Over time the mushrooms will cook down.

Parmesan Polenta (Servings 2-3)  Cook Time: 30 min.

• 3 cups Water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup of corn grits or polenta
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 1/3 cup of grated parmesan cheese

Bring water and sea salt to a boil, then gradually pour in the polenta. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the cheese and butter.

To plate the dish, place a layer of polenta on the bottom. Spoon on the short ribs and veggies. Add a nice helping of the mushrooms.

Sprinkle with fresh parmesan and serve!

♥ ♥ Miss Amy

Amy’s Old-Fashioned Apple Butter…

I’m bringing back the old-fashioned recipe of apple butter. My mother loved taking us to the historic villages during the fall and the smell of apple butter brought a smile to my face.

Now you may be surprised, but apple butter has no butter in it. It’s a slow cooking process that was done over the fire in a large pot. Now we have the modern invention of the slow cooker which does all the work.

All you need are apples, sugar, cider and some lovely fall spices. It’s the perfect Fall tradition you can make with family and jar as holiday gifts.

It is fabulous on toast, croissants, and biscuits. Here is another favorite recipe of mine Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie.

Here is the recipe: Note – I typically cut the recipe in half, but your crockpot can hold the full recipe.

14 apples (7 apples)

I like to mix the type of apples for a range in flavor. I mostly McIntosh a soft red cooking apple mixed Gala and Honey Crisp.

Amy’s Apple Butter Servings: 6 small jars (3 jars)

Time: 7 apples – 6 hours low Time: 14 Apples – 12 hours

• 2 cups of apple cider or juice (1 cup)
• 1 cup of sugar (1/2)
• 4 teaspoons pumpkin seasoning (2 teaspoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (1/4 teaspoon)
• 2 teaspoons FRESH ground nutmeg (1 teaspoon)

Peel, core, and chop the apples. Throw into the slow cooker on low heat.

Add in the cider or juice, the sugar, and the spices. Put on the lid and let the aroma fill your home!

Hours later this is what you will find 🙂

The apples will break down and caramelize creating the spread.

Spoon into a food processor and pulse a few times until smooth. Place in jars and seal.

Now sit back, relax, and enjoy the Fall.

♥♥♥♥

Amy