How to Cook Your Way Into a Man's Heart

You know the clique saying the way to a man's heart is through his stomach? That is certainly true with my husband, he knows that I love him when I cook dinner and pack his lunches. Last night I cooked him his favorite meal, ok rather my slow cooker cooked it for him. That is why I love a slow cooker, put the meat in, put whatever else the recipe calls for, then set and forget it until dinner time. Also yesterday was a rainy, cooler day so short ribs was perfect for dinner. I found this recipe in the America's Test Kitchen Slow Cooker Revolution book. The result of  these short ribs are tender and melt in your mouth. I made some cheddar cheese grits as the base, then layer some steamed garlic spinach and top it off with the short ribs. Add a little bit of the sauce from the short ribs if you want. 
First, gather together your ingredients. 5 bone-in English style short ribs, about 2 pounds, salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 onions, chopped medium, 1 carrot, chopped medium, 1 celery rib, chopped medium, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 3 tablespoons flour, 2 cups dry red wine, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 cups low-sodium beef broth, and 2 bay leaves.

Plug in your slow cooker. In your Dutch oven or a heavy-based cooking pot, add 1 tablespoon oil and heat until smoking. 

While the oil is warming up, salt and pepper the short ribs on all sides. 


Brown half of the ribs on all sides then transfer to the slow cooker.


 Finish browning all of the ribs. Add more oil if necessary. 

Using the same cooking vessel, add in the chopped onion, celery and carrot, otherwise known as a mirepoix,  tomato paste and thyme and cook until the onions are softened, about 8 to 10 minutes.






 Add in the flour and cook for 1 minute. 

Slowly add in the wine and the balsamic vinegar, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pot. 


Use a whisk to smooth out any lumps in the mixture. Let the sauce cook and reduce until about 1 cup. Add the entire mixture to the slow cooker.




 Add in the beef broth directly to the slow cooker along with the bay leaves. Let the short ribs cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

 Then serve, eat and enjoy!
Have you entered my Shabby Apple giveaway going on right now, you can win $50, enter here.

22 comments:

Leslie said...

I am definitely going to make this for my husband this week!! Sounds so good!

whit | Black Little Button blog said...

and this woman's heart too! :)
-wHiT

Casey said...

This looks so stinkin delicious! I'm totally making these for Eric this weekend - I'm glad you posted the recipe! I was drooling when I saw the photo on Instagram yesterday. Oddly enough, I love making something that is a "process" - I feel so accomplished at the end. Ha! Ahhh, my work is complete.

megan said...

yum yum yum!

REBrown said...

Mmmm that looks awesome!

Discovery Street said...

When u posted this on instagram I was hoping you'd blog the recipe! Totally gonna make this!! (Do you think it would be a big deal to substitute gluten free flour?) we just discovered my hubs has a wheat allergy :/

Heather said...

I make my husband's lunches, too, which is my way of thanking him for cooking the majority of our dinners. :)

Alyssa said...

Yummmmmmmm!!

Alyssa said...

Yummmmmmmm!!

Unknown said...

Delish! Your hubs is lucky, my hubs is the cook in our family :-)

always, koru kate

awhite said...

Um, YUM. This post made me so hungry- I think you're actually cooking your way to MY heart, too. :)

-Ashley
http://lestylorouge.com

Stesha said...

Meg that looks soooo yummy!!!

xxS

Sarah Alway said...

I really, really wish I was a better cook, but I do try and I know my husband really appreciates that. :-) Slow cookers are the best! This looks yummy.

Unknown said...

Oh my, that looks amazing! I am totally going to make this! :)

Brittany @ Brittany's Joy Blog said...

Yum, this looks great! It wouldn't fly as a weeknight meal at our house--if I'm crock potting before work I'm just hurling stuff into the pot haha. But weekends? Oh yeah.

Kasey Lynne said...

Dang...you're making the rest of us look bad ;D

meme-and-he said...

looks so delicious! You are adventurous in the kitchen...inspiring!

The Olive Tree Blog said...

this is the best post title ever. and so true. lol. a feed husband is a happy husband! these look so good!!!!

helen said...

LOOKS AMAZING!!!! can't wait to try this - my husband will love it too! slow cookers are the best :)

Allison said...

Oh my goodness this looks amazing!! Your husband is one lucky guy! :) And do you own the America's test kitchen cookbook?? I have been wanting it!

Laura Darling said...

Oh. Wow. This looks delicious!!

jamiedawn said...

ooooooooook looks like i'll be busting out our crockpot tomorrow night. good grief that looks amazing.