Back in October I wrote this post to tell you that I was participating in that month’s Dairy Farmers of Canada Great Cream Challenge. The recipe I developed for the theme of Double Duty Dinner (a dinner that makes a great lunch the next day) was braised beef short ribs with red wine cream sauce.

Alas, my recipe finished third (also known as last place), but it still feels like a winner to me. I was blown away to receive 488 votes over the month. Big thanks to all of you who took the time to check out the contest and vote for me (and also to those of you who tried, but were disallowed due to living outside of the contest area). I’m now able to share the recipe here on the blog.

My family was impressed with this dish. It made our week night supper feel like a special occasion meal. And that jazzed-up hot beef on a bun the next day made for darned good lunch, too.

Braised Beef Short Ribs With Red Wine Cream Sauce

Dinner that transforms into an appealing lunch that doesn’t signal “leftovers”? Tender braised beef goes from rustic to elegant with a red wine sauce enhanced with real cream. The next day, it takes hot beef on a bun from same-old to extraordinary.

Prep time: 30 minutes; Cooking time: 2 hours; Number of servings: 4, with leftovers planned for lunch

Pre-heat oven to 325℉

• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 lbs beef short ribs (6 portions)
• ¾ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 medium cooking onions, diced (about ¼”)
• 4 carrots, diced
• 4 celery stalks, diced
• 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1-1/2 cups robust red wine (one you like to drink)
• 1 cup beef stock or rich vegetable stock (low sodium if possible)
• 8 fresh sage leaves, coarsely torn
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme

Red Wine Cream Sauce

• about 2-1/2 cups strained braising liquid
• ½ cup 18% table cream
• ¼ cup red wine
• 2 tbsp corn starch
• salt and pepper to taste

Over medium high heat, melt the butter in a large, oven-proof skillet. Lightly sprinkle the beef on both sides with a couple of pinches of salt and pepper. Working in two batches, sauté three beef short ribs at a time until browned on both sides. Place on a large plate and set aside.

Add the prepared vegetables to the butter remaining in the skillet and sprinkle on the rest of the salt and pepper. Sauté on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until all the liquid has evaporated and a bit of caramelization has begun. Deglaze the pan with the red wine, then stir in the stock. Turn off the heat, then scatter the herbs around the pan. Tuck the browned short ribs into the pan, overlapping a bit if necessary. They need to be only partially submerged in the braising liquid.

Cover the pan and place into the pre-heated oven for an hour and a half. This is a good time for you to tidy the kitchen and prep the side dishes, and still have time to relax while amazing aromas waft through your house. At the end of the braising period, remove the ribs to a dish covered with foil to stay warm.

Now it’s time to prepare the red wine cream sauce. Place a fine mesh strainer or colander over a large bowl and spoon or pour in the vegetable/braising liquid mixture (be careful of splashing!). Press gently to extract as much of the liquid as possible; there should be about 2-1/2 cups. Discard the vegetables (their purpose in this recipe is to add flavour). Decant the braising liquid into a fat strainer separator to remove as much fat as possible.

Return the braising liquid to the skillet and incorporate the table cream and red wine. Bring to a boil, then leave at a high simmer for about 10 minutes to reduce, stirring from time to team. Once the sauce has reduced, taste it and adjust the salt and pepper if required. (This will depend in part on the sodium level of the broth you used.)

Put the cornstarch into a glass and add ¼ cup cold water. Using a fork, whisk into a slurry. Pour it into the sauce and stir until the mixture has thickened to a velvety smoothness.

Serve the ribs with mashed potatoes made with butter and cream, and a vegetable side dish like the maple-mustard roasted carrots shown in the photograph. Lavish the red wine cream sauce over the potatoes and ribs, and use some to decorate the plate for extra flair.

Leftover Magic

For a double-duty lunch the next day, transform the leftover beef and cream sauce into luxurious hot beef on a whole grain Kaiser bun. Slice the meat from one short rib thinly against the grain, and top with enough of the sauce to be creamy but not runny. Heat gently in a small saucepan on the stovetop.

Spread the bun with butter, then prepared horseradish or mustard for piquancy. Cover the bottom portion with large pieces of lettuce, and add sliced tomato and/or onion if you like. Heap on the creamy hot beef mixture and cover with the top of the roll.