Pomegranate Braised Short Ribs
Make these pomegranate braised short ribs for a cozy dinner this week and you will not be disappointed! These pomegranate short ribs are actually very simple to make but give sophisticated dinner party vibes! Impress your family and friends by letting these delicious flavors come together in the oven and enjoy as a cozy dinner together.
Pomegranate braised short ribs ingredient notes:
Pomegranate juice & seeds: The juicy, vibrant seeds found in a pomegranate are also known as arils. A single pomegranate can have anywhere from 200 to 1400 arils, so just 1 will give you plenty to top your final plated dish. I like to use a pre-squeeze pomegranate juice to save time. You can also swap the juice for 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup and 3 tablespoons coconut aminos.
Short ribs: The main ingredient of this dish is, of course, short ribs. You can use either boneless or bone-in short ribs for the recipe, but I personally love bone-in because it adds depth of flavor while cooking low and slow.
Polenta: I love to serve polenta with a hearty, cozy dish like short ribs due to its creamy texture. If you have a copy of Don’t Think About Dinner, you can also follow my “Cheesy” Polenta recipe on page 282 or swap for mashed potatoes!
Fresh thyme & rosemary: Fresh herbs lend an earthy, aromatic note that deepens the fall flavors of the dish. I like to tie the sprigs together with a bit of kitchen twine for easy removal from the dish before serving.
POMEGRANATE BRAISED SHORT RIBS
6
servings20
minutes3 1/2
hoursThese pomegranate short ribs are actually very simple to make but give sophisticated dinner party vibes. Impress your family and friends by letting these delicious flavors come together in the oven and enjoy as a cozy dinner together.
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Ingredients
- For the short ribs:
3 1/2 pounds bone-in beef short ribs (about 6 large ribs)
kosher salt
ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
4 large carrots, diced (about 2 cups)
3 celery ribs, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tapioca flour or arrowroot starch (can sub cornstarch)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups low-sodium beef broth
3/4 cup pomegranate juice
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
pomegranate arils, for serving (optional)
- For the polenta:
2 cups milk of choice
1 cup stone-ground yellow-corn instant polenta
kosher salt
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel and season generously on all sides with salt and ground black pepper. Set aside on a plate.
- Heat the oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven or large, heavy ovenproof pot with a lid over medium heat until shimmering. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, carefully add the short ribs to the pan. (The ribs will steam rather than caramelize if you crowd the pan.) Cook until golden brown and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate.
- Carefully remove excess oil with a ladel, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent and begin to caramelize, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and tapioca flour and cook until absorbed.
- Add the broth and pomegranate juice and mix well. Season with a few generous pinches of salt.
- Add the short ribs back to the pot, arrange the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves on top of the meat. Transfer to the oven and bake until the meat is tender and falling off the bone, about 2 ½ hours.
- After 2 ½ hours, remove the lid, and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.
- Prepare the polenta: In a medium lidded saucepan, combine the milk and 1½ cups water and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the polenta until incorporated. Cook, whisking often, until the polenta thickens, 3 to 5 minutes (or according to package directions). If the polenta is too thick to whisk, gradually add up to ½ cup water to thin it out. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steam until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Salt to taste.
- When the short ribs are done cooking, discard the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Divide the polenta among 6 plates and top each with a short rib*, along with the sauce and vegetables. Top with a sprinkle of pomegranate arils (optional).
Notes
- Store it: Refrigerate the short ribs and polenta separately in sealed containers for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat it: From refrigerated, assemble your plate and microwave until warm, about 2 minutes. Or place in saucepan, covered, over low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through, about 10 minutes. From frozen, thaw in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, then assemble your plate and microwave in 30-second increments until warm, or follow stovetop instructions.
- The key to melt-in-your-mouth short ribs is the low and slow cook. Give it the full time to get there! Removing the lid for the last 30 minutes gets a slight roasty-caramelization on the edges.
- Discard the fat when chilled: you’ll notice if you store the ribs in the refrigerator, all of the fat will collect at the top and harden. All you need to do is scoop out the hardened fat with a spoon and discard it before reheating.
- Slow cooker: Follow the same instructions through Step 4 in a large, deep skillet or dutch oven. Then transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5 hours, until the meat is tender and falls off the bone. Separate the meat from the bone once cooked.
- *Serving: You can top each plate with a short rib, or remove the meat from the bones prior to serving. Discard the bones.
- Pomegranate juice: Swap for 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup and 3 tablespoons coconut aminos.
Polenta: Swap for mashed potatoes.
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Made this for some friends for dinner tonight! Turned out great! Thanks for the recipe.
I never thought I could make something that looks this fancy, but Jenn’s recipes are so easy to follow and this came out delicious! My husband asked when I will be making this again, and why I’ve never made something so good before. Don’t sleep on this recipe!
This one is an elevated spin on a classic. A perfect dinner dish that’s accessible/easy to make even if you’re a busy person! 11/10.
Has anyone made this with pork roast? I bet it would be delicious…
Jenn, you did it again. This was absolutely incredible!! The short rib fell off the bone and the pomegranate seeds were the perfect crunch. I will be making this on repeat!
Amazing recipe!! Easy to prepare, just give yourself plenty of time to let it cook in the oven.
Made this tonight and it was perfect! Will definitely make this again.
Didn’t have polenta so I did fresh mashed potatoes instead and it paired perfectly.