Beef & Guinness Short Ribs

Libations used: 1 pint of Guinness or dark stout

Libations left over: None, but crack open another pint!

This is a dish to make your Irish descendants proud and your friends' tummies happy.  I was working a late night at home, with "Private Chefs of Beverly Hills" playing in the background.  When I saw the Irish Chef Stuart making this dish, I just knew I had to try it for myself.  I served this with some truffle mashed potatoes and those divine Chocolate & Pretzel-Covered Beer Marshmallows I made earlier this week (thank goodness I didn't eat them all).  A note for the next time I make this dish - leave the meat on the bone.  I think it'll make for a prettier presentation, and since the meat is braising for so long, it's sure to fall right off the bone. 

Beef & Guinness Short Ribs - Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 lbs. boneless beef short ribs, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces.  
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 cups beef stock, divided
• 1 pint Guinness

- Preheat the oven to 380F.

- Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over med-high heat.

- Season the short ribs with salt and pepper, to taste, and sear in the dutch oven until brown (about 5 min per side).

- Remove meat from pan and set aside.  

- Add onions and garlic to dutch oven and saute, until lightly browned.  Scrape any brown bits from bottom of pan.

- Add carrots and celery and cook for 5 more minutes.  

- Add 1 cup of beef stock and scrape bottom of pan to remove any more browned bits.  

- Return meat to dutch oven along with remaining stock and beer.

- Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Bring the stew to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes.

- Cover and braise in the oven for 2 hours.
- Crack open a Guinness and enjoy, while the savory smells fill your apartment/home...