Serves 6-8 | Total Cook Time: 4 hours
8 ounces chopped pancetta
Flour
3-4 pounds boneless short ribs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 shallots, roughly chopped
3 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch rounds
2 parsnips, cut into 1/2 inch rounds
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 fennel bulb, roughly chopped
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered
4 cloves of garlic, whole
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1.5 cups dry red wine
1/2 cup cognac or sherry
1 small can of tomato soup
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
4 cups low sodium beef broth
1 pound baby gold potatoes, halved
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Preheat your oven to 325
2. Add the pancetta to a cold Dutch oven and then bring the pot up to a high heat. Cook the pancetta until crispy and the fat has rendered out, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, keeping the fat in the pot.
3. Season the short ribs liberally with salt and pepper and then sprinkle flour over them, shaking off any excess flour. Bring the Dutch oven back up to a high heat and brown the short ribs on each side until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
4. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the pot and then add shallots, carrots, parsnips, celery, fennel, mushrooms and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook the vegetables for 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato paste next and cook for another minute. Next, add the red wine and cognac and deglaze the pan, scrapping up all of the brown bits from the bottom. Cook for 2-3 minutes then add the the can of tomato soup, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and beef broth. Bring the pan up to boil, then cover and put in the oven. Cook for 1.5 hours.
5. After the stew has cooked for about 1.5 hours, remove from the oven and add the potatoes to the pot. Put the lid back on and put in the oven and cook for an additional hour to hour and a half or until the vegetables are fork tender and your meat is falling apart.
6. To serve, remove the bay leaves, herbs and whole pieces of garlic. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve with a crusty piece of bread!
