Black Pepper Free Herbed Apple Cider Braised Short Ribs
Fall-off-the-bone short ribs braised low and slow in unfiltered apple cider and bone broth — this is the kind of deeply satisfying, cold-weather cooking that makes your whole kitchen smell incredible. The braising liquid builds serious complexity from fresh ginger, turmeric, Ceylon cinnamon, and a splash of apple cider vinegar, so you never miss the heat that black pepper typically brings to a braise like this. Searing the ribs in coconut oil first creates that gorgeous mahogany crust, and then the oven does the heavy lifting for nearly three hours until the collagen fully breaks down and the meat pulls away from the bone with zero effort. Carrots, celery, and onion soften into the sauce alongside fresh thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves, giving the reduced braising liquid a rounded, almost sweet-savory depth that tastes like it took far more skill than it actually did. Skimming the fat and reducing the liquid at the end concentrates all of those layered flavors into a glossy, spoonable sauce that you'll want to pour over everything on the plate. A scatter of fresh flat-leaf parsley at the end brightens the whole dish just before serving. This is genuinely impressive dinner-party food that happens to be completely free of one of the most common hidden spice offenders.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 3 ½ lb bone-in beef short ribs (about 8 pieces)
- 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
- 2 cups unfiltered apple cider (not hard cider)
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ cups bone broth
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Pat the short ribs thoroughly dry with paper towels, then season all over with the sea salt.
- 2
Heat the coconut oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in two batches to avoid crowding, sear the short ribs on all meaty sides for 3–4 minutes per side, until a deep mahogany crust forms and the meat releases easily from the pot. Transfer the seared ribs to a plate and set aside.
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