Polenta Squares w/ Pulled Short Ribs
This rich and creamy peasant dish from Italy is a real comfort food and goes with many dishes and many settings. Nothing is more comforting than these ribs on a cold winter night with creamy mashed potatoes.
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Total Time 3 hours hrs 50 minutes mins
Polenta Squares
- 4 cups Vegetable Stock
- 1 cup Water
- ½ cup White Wine
- 1 stick Butter
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Crushed Black Pepper
- 2½ cups Cornmeal
- ¼ cup Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
Braised Short Ribs
- Beef Short Ribs (usually 2-3 per hearty portion)
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1 pinch Black Pepper
- Flour (generous coating for ribs)
- 3 Carrots (peeled and cut into 1" chunks)
- 3 Large Diced Onions
- 4 stalks Celery (cut into 1" chunk pieces)
- 1 qt Beef Stock
- 2 cups Red Wine
- 2 cloves Garlic
Polenta Squares
In a saucepan heat to a boil Vegetable Stock, Water, White Wine, Butter, Salt and Black Pepper. Slowly add Cornmeal. Stir until desired thickness. Adjust with more liquid if too thick, add a bit more cornmeal if too thin.
Add Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese and Garlic Powder and stir.
Let cool in a loaf pan and slice about ½ inch thick. Sauté slices in a little olive oil until golden brown on each side.
Braised Short Ribs
Rinse Beef Short Ribs leaving fat in tact.
In large Dutch oven or deep baking pan with cover brown Ribs about 3-4 minutes on each side in Olive Oil. Remove from pan and season with Salt and Pepper then generously coat in Flour.
Into Dutch oven place Carrots, Onions, Celery and return floured ribs to rest on top of vegetables then add Beef Stock, Red Wine, Garlic and a little water if needed (liquid should come just halfway up ribs).
Slow roast - covered - in 300℉ oven for 2-3 hours or until meat just falls off bone.
Carefully remove meat and place on platter pulling meat apart with two forks.
Keyword Polenta, Pulled, Ribs, Short, Squares