Short ribs too tough?

[leeser]

Tonight I made a short rib recipe from Mario Batali's cookbook. It was a typical braise recipe; I browned the ribs then braised them for 2 hours in wine and homemade tomato sauce. The meat turned out pretty tough; not at all the 'fork tender' meat described in the book. Anything I could have done? Could it have been the meat?

[david kaplan]

Not long enough? I typically roast short ribs at 450 for 45 minutes (easier than browning on the stovetop) and then braise at 300 for 3 hours.

[dockhl]

Maybe, but my guess is that 2 hours is not enough time. I usually braise mine at a very low temp (275') for 3-3 1/2 hours. Were they choice or select?

[Mellicita]

Keep cooking 'em!
When I make short ribs they always go through a stage where they become very tough. Just keep cooking, and they will become meltingly soft and fork tender.

[EdwardAdams]

They should have been reasonably tender. Was it stovetop or oven braising? You want a steady heat source that keeps the pot at around 300 degrees. I suspect you were a bit shy on the heat, maybe just a bit short on the time as well.

[mpalmer6c]

Wonder if it was a typo. I've found that braiser beef takes at least 3 hours.

[leeser]

It sounds like (from what all of you are saying) that the time wasn't enough. The Batali book gave a range of 1.5-2 hours and it was stovetop. I've done it in the oven before and think my results were better. If I do it again, I'll allow for more time and do it in the oven.

[jgg13]

I seem to recall a discussion about tough short ribs involving Batali's cookbook and the takeaway was that the recipe gave too short of a cooking time.

[Miss Needle]

I do think it's definitely the timing issue and not the meat. I've cooked grass-fed short ribs and they've been really really tender. Grass-fed meat is much leaner and you're not going to be rendering a lot of fat compared to the grain-fed meat. But it didn't affect the texture at all. And a plus is that you don't have to skim off all that excess fat.

[moh]

How much liquid was in the braise and did it nearly cover the meat? We once had less liquid than usual in our pot, and the meat was not adequately covered. The meat did not braise so much as roast, and was quite tough.

[jfood]

2 hours is not even close.

bring braising liquid to noil on stovetop. make sure it covers meat and place in oven for at least 4 hours at 300 degrees. If you can make the day before even better to place in the fridge after four hours and then reheat the next day.

[Tehama]

Listen to JFood. He is a genius. His short ribs were too-die-for-delicious.

Here is his response to me a short while back: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/508524

[chazzerking]

to break down the collagen/connective tissue, the meat must cook in moisture for at least 2 1/2 hours at an internal temp of 220+ . too long and it'll get mushy, but you need that temp/time combo to get it tender. The easiest way to make sure aboiut the temp, is to bring the liquid to a boil firat. Browning first also has the benefit of bringing the meat to temp as well.

[SpareRib]

I generally cook mine over two days. On the first day I give them about 4 hours. Let them cool and then refrigerate overnight. By the next day the fat has hardened nicely on the top and I can get most of it off before reheating for about 1 hour or more if needed. Two hours doesn't even come close.

[Sarah]

Mario probably gets a different grade of short ribs than what's offered at the local supermarket.

[mryguy]

I just made this 'recipe' in a crock pot and they came out melt in your mouth fall off the bone tender and great flavor. Made some modifications adding pearl onions and twice the carrot and celery to act as our vegetable. Browned the ribs in bacon fat all the way around (each side) in a heavy pan then let them sit on the bone side with a lid on the pan while I whipped up the liquid part. Put the ribs in the sauce, browned the onion and vegetables in the same pan putting them on top of meat with the pearl onions, then deglazed the pan with about a 1/4 cup of port wine and put it in. Cooked it 1hour on high then 6 hours on low.

[chococat]

I'm surprised that nobody has questioned the temperature of the braise-- the liquid should be at a bare simmer. If the braising liquid is at a full boil, the meat fibers contract the braise is tough and dry. Another good reason to use the oven braise technique!

[FriedClamFanatic]

Low and slow are the catchwords here - as it is in much of life. As I like to say, "Slow and sensual beats fast and furious everytime"..........LOL