Cola Braised Short Ribs with Risotto

The braise is the easy part. What makes this is what happens after: the meat and the liquid both go into the fridge overnight, and the next day you skim the fat and reduce the sauce for a full hour until it coats a spoon. Serve it the day you braise it and you get short ribs in gravy. Give it the extra day and you get the glaze.

Why You'll Love Cola Braised Short Ribs with Risotto

The ribs braise for 3 to 4 hours in cola, white wine, and veal stock until a paring knife slides in with no resistance. The sauce then chills overnight, gets skimmed of fat, and reduces for about an hour until it coats a spoon, right before it goes back over the ribs and risotto.

Tips and Tricks

• Season the ribs well in advance, overnight if possible, for maximum flavor.
• Don't rush the sear; deep browning builds flavor into the final dish.
• Chill overnight for easier fat removal and deeper flavor the next day.

Variations

• Swap risotto for creamy polenta or mashed potatoes.
• Try using bone-in chuck roast if you can't find short ribs.
• Add a splash of balsamic vinegar for extra depth in the reduction.

Substitutions

• Veal demi-glace → beef demi-glace or concentrated beef stock.
• Cola → root beer or Dr Pepper for a twist.
• White wine → dry red wine or skip and use extra stock.

Best Served With

• Parmesan risotto or creamy polenta
• Charred broccolini or glazed carrots
• A bold red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon

How to Store Leftovers

• Store ribs and sauce in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the oven at 300°F until warmed through.
• Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Common Questions

Cola Braised Short Ribs with Risotto

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English cut short ribs braised in cola, white wine and veal stock, chilled overnight, then reheated in their own reduced sauce over Parmesan risotto.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs 56 minutes mins

Chill 9 hours hrs

Total Time 14 hours hrs 26 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Course: Dinner, Main Course, Meat

Cuisine: American, Modern

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

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Short Ribs & Braise:

• 6 English cut short ribs ~4 lb
• Kosher salt to taste
• 1 tbsp Whole black peppercorns for the braising liquid
• Vegetable oil as needed
• 2 Onions diced
• 2-3 Medium carrots diced
• 1½ cups Dry white wine
• 1 cup Cola
• 4 tbsp Veal demi-glace
• 8-10 Thyme sprigs
• 6-8 Parsley stems and a few leaves
• 2 Bay leaves
• Veal stock as needed to nearly cover

Parmesan Risotto

• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 8 cups warm chicken stock
• 1 Parmesan rind a small piece
• ¾ cup Champagne or dry white wine
• 2 Shallots finely minced
• 5 tbsp Unsalted butter divided
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to finish at the table

Equipment

• Dutch oven or heavy pot
• Sealable containers
• Paring knife
• Tongs
• Ladle
• Large Skillet
• Fine Mesh Strainer

Method

 

Season & Sear:

1. Season short ribs generously with kosher salt. Place them on a rack over a sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours minimum, 48 to 72 if you can. The pepper goes in later, with the braising liquid. Preheat oven to 275°F.
2. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add oil and sear the ribs on all sides until deeply browned. Work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding.

Build the Braise:

1. Add onions and carrots to the pot. Sauté until softened and beginning to caramelize, about 8-10 minutes.
2. Deglaze with white wine and simmer 1-2 minutes. You'll know all of the bits have released when you run your spoon over the bottom of the pan and it feels smooth. Add cola, demi-glace, thyme, parsley, bay leaves, and the whole black peppercorns. Pour in veal stock until ribs are nearly submerged. Raw wine throws a sharp scent that pushes your face back. Step away a few seconds, then come in from the side. You'll know it's ready when that scent is gone and you smell the wine's own fruit instead.

Slow Cook:

1. Cover and transfer the pot to the oven. Braise for 3-4 hours, flipping the ribs halfway through. They're done when a paring knife slides in with no resistance.

Chill Overnight:

1. Remove the ribs to a container. Strain braising liquid and discard solids. Chill both the meat and sauce overnight.

Finish the Sauce:

1. Skim fat from the chilled braising liquid. Transfer to a wide skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce for about 1 hour, or until it coats a spoon.

Make the Parmesan Risotto

1. Warm the chicken stock in a saucepan with the Parmesan rind. Simmer gently to infuse, then keep it warm and remove the rind before using. You're looking for a bare simmer: small bubbles breaking the surface, not a rolling boil. Keep it warm the whole time. Cold stock into hot rice stops the cooking, and the grains end up done on the outside and chalky in the middle.
2. In a separate wide pan, melt 2 tbsp of the butter. Add the minced shallots and cook until translucent, not browned.
3. Stir in the Arborio rice and toast lightly, 1 to 2 minutes. The grains go from chalky white to translucent at the edges with a white dot left in the center. That dot is what holds the bite at the end.
4. Deglaze with the champagne and cook until absorbed.
5. Ladle in the warm Parmesan-rind stock one scoop at a time, stirring until each is absorbed before adding the next. Continue 18 to 20 minutes until the rice is creamy with a slight bite. One ladle at a time is the whole technique. Pouring it in boils the rice instead of agitating the starch out of it, and that starch is the only thing making it creamy.
6. Off the heat, stir in the remaining 3 tbsp butter and the Parmesan. Season with sea salt. Tilt the pan: it should move like a slow wave and settle flat, and a grain should give with a firm center.

Plate & Serve:

1. Reheat ribs in the sauce. Serve over creamy risotto. Spoon sauce over top and finish with fresh herbs and a soft grind of black pepper at the table. That grind is the only pepper you actually smell, since the peppercorns in the braise gave the sauce its depth and left their aroma behind hours ago.

Notes

Storage: cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days; the flavor improves overnight. Reheat gently in the sauce over low heat until warmed through.

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