Braised Beef Ribs in Porcini and Morel Mushroom Sauce

Prep time: 30 minutes; Cook time: 3 (in oven) – 5  (in slow cooker) hours

Serves: 4 (or 2 for dinner and leftovers for another meal)

This can be cooked in the oven in an enamel cast iron pot, or in a slow cooker.

What you need:

• 4 beef ribs (ELIN’S TIP: if you want to make extra to use for leftovers use 1 beef rib per person and 2 more for leftovers)
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped (pictured 2 small onions)
• 2 ribs of celery, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup porcini and morel dried mushrooms (you can use any type of dried mushrooms) – rinsed only, not soaked
• 1 1/2 cups red wine (I used a Chianti, but a Cabernet, Shiraz or Merlot would also work)
• 1/2 Marsala wine (you can use and extra 1/2 cup red wine if you don’t have Marsala wine)
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 4 cups porcini mushroom stock (you can use beef stock if you don’t have porcini stock)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp thyme
• salt, pepper
• Porcini and Morel Mushroom Sauce (recipe follows below)

What you do (oven method):

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F 
2. Pat the beef ribs dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper
3. Place cast iron or slow cooker pot (If you have a slow cooker that you can use on the stovetop) on stovetop, on medium high
4. Add olive oil and when hot, add beef ribs. Cook each side approximately 2 minutes until browned

   

5. Remove beef ribs, reserve
6. Add carrots, celery, onions and garlic to pot. Stir until soft and starting to brown, about 5 minutes, make sure you scrape up any bits on the bottom of the pan

   

7. Add wine, marsala, porcini stock, morel and porcini mushrooms, balsamic vinegar, bay leaf and thyme

   

8. Bring the liquids to a boil
9. Once liquids have come to a boil, return beef ribs to cast iron enameled pot
10. Cover and place in oven
11. Cook for 3 hours
12. Remove beef ribs, cover with foil to keep warm
13. Strain braising liquids, discard solids

What you do (slow cooker method):

• Follow steps 2 – 9 of the oven cooking method
• Place on slow cooker heating unit
• Cook for 5 hours on low
• Remove beef ribs, cover with foil to keep warm
• Strain braising liquids, discard solids

For Porcini and Morel Mushroom Sauce:

What you need:

• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• approximately 2 cups of the strained braising liquid

What you do:

• In a saucepan, on medium add 3 tbsp butter and melt
• Add 3 tbsp flour, whisk together to form a roux
• Slowly add 1-2 cups reserved liquids to the roux and whisk until smooth and thickened to desired consistency
• Spoon sauce over the beef rib; Serve

This is great served over mashed potatoes or polenta. Save any leftover braising liquid and freeze.