Braised Short Ribs with Cranberries! This meal is made in the slow cooker and features tender short ribs, carrots and tart cranberries. Add a side of parsnip purée and you have an elegant date night meal.
And, if you really want to go the extra mile, set the table with linens, fresh flowers and light some candles. That is love!
Recipe Features:
- Elegant and delicious
- Easy to execute
- Perfect for a date night in (e.g., Valentine’s Day) – it’s a romantic meal that will impress your loved one!
Ingredient Notes:
- Short Ribs – When looking for the right portions, buy either 8 bone-in beef short ribs that are 6 ounces each, or 4 short ribs that are 10-12 ounces each.
- Carrots – It just depends on what I can find at the time. But, I prefer to use baby rainbow carrots, or heirloom rainbow carrots. Both work just fine.
- Honey and the Balsamic – Drizzle these two directly over the meat. The taste of the meat at the end is fantastic.
- Cranberries – In my opinion, the cranberries help make this recipe what it is. Their tartness pairs so well with the sweet, floral honey and the mellow tartness from the balsamic. It is the perfect match!
- Parsnip Purée – For this meal, since I want it to be more on the romantic side, I love to use my parsnip recipe. It is light, healthy and pairs perfectly with this meal. (If you don’t like parsnips, then potatoes will work as well). The purée is linked below.
I make these Braised Short Ribs with Cranberries for Valentine’s Day every single year. This meal is very special to me and I hope you find it special as well.
For more date night ideas, please give these a try:
- Chocolate-Cherry Chia Pudding
- Herb Crusted Cornish Game Hens
- Shrimp and Spicy Tomatoes over Parmesan Polenta
- Apple-Plum Pork Chops with Herbs
- Nutella Whipped Ricotta Cups with Raspberry Purée
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Braised Short Ribs with Cranberries (Slow Cooker)
Ingredients
- 8 Bone-in Beef Short Ribs, about 6 oz each (3 lbs. total)
- 2 tbsp Avocado Oil
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
- Himalayan Pink Salt, to taste
- 2 Shallots, thinly sliced
- Rainbow Carrots
- 1 cup Dry Red Wine (Cabernet Sauvignon)
- 1 14.5 oz can Swanson Beef Broth, 50% less sodium
- 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 ½ tbsp Beeyond The Hive Raw Wildflower Honey (linked below)
- 3 tbsp Balsamic (good quality)
- Fresh Thyme, a small handful
- 2 large sprigs Fresh Rosemary
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 2 cups Fresh Cranberries
- Parsnip Purée, for serving (linked below)
Instructions
- Season the short ribs with pepper and salt. To a large skillet, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Add the ribs and sear on both sides; 2-3 minutes each. Remove the ribs and transfer to a slow cooker.
- To a small bowl, add the wine, broth, garlic, tomato paste, pepper and salt to taste, and stir to combine; set aside.
- Drizzle the honey and balsamic directly over the ribs. Top with the shallots, carrots, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves.
- Gently pour the wine mixture on top and cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4 hours. If cooking on high, add the cranberries during the last 30 minutes-1 hour of cook time. If cooking on low, add the cranberries during the last 1 1/2 hours-2 hours of cook time.
- Remove the aromatics. Serve the ribs over parsnip purée or mashed potatoes. Drizzle with some of the sauce.
Notes
- Beef: Regarding portions, use 4, 10-12 oz short ribs or 8, 6 oz short ribs
- Carrots: Use half of a 12 oz bag of baby rainbow carrots, or use 4 large heirloom rainbow carrots.
NOTE:
- My pinch bowls are by Chrissy Teigen which I found at Target, but this similar set of Cravings 3 Stoneware Pinch Bowls can be found on Amazon. These Terracotta Pinch Bowls are from Amazon as well and are a best seller.
- And my White Textured Stoneware and Stemless Wine Glasses are from World Market.
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