Homemade Braised Short Rib Agnolotti del Plin (A Year in the Making)

short ribs

🥗Healthier: chicken thighs

💰Cheaper: ground beef

Chicken thighs are lower in fat and ground beef is more affordable.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grana padano

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free and grana padano is a less expensive cheese.

Dry off the short ribs and trim some fat and silver skin for better searing.

Season the short ribs with salt and pepper.

Chop one carrot, two medium-sized stalks of celery, and one Spanish onion for mirepoix.

Heat neutral oil in a skillet and sear the short ribs until browned, then remove them to a plate.

Add the chopped vegetables to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until browned.

Pour in 1-2 cups of red wine and let it reduce slightly.

Add chicken stock and a splash of beef stock to the skillet, bringing it to just about boiling.

Place the short ribs back into the skillet, adding any trimmed fat, and add two bay leaves.

Cover and braise in the oven at 350°F for 2 hours, then uncover and cook for an additional hour.

Check the meat for tenderness and continue cooking if necessary, adding stock if the liquid level is low.

Remove the short ribs from the oven and let them cool on a plate.

Strain the braising liquid into a container to separate the fat.

In a skillet, heat olive oil and sauté garlic, then add a pound of spinach and cook down until wilted.

Transfer the cooked spinach to paper towels to absorb excess moisture and cool down for 10-15 minutes.

Separate the fat from the braising liquid using a turkey baster or fat separator.

Pull apart any sinewy pieces from the short ribs and place the meat into a food processor.

Add the cooked spinach and a good amount of pecorino romano cheese to the food processor.

Pulse the mixture until it forms a paste, adding some of the reserved broth and fat as needed.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens