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Home Beef/Lamb

Pomegranate Braised Beef Short Ribs with Brown Butter Spätzle

By: Nicole 20 Comments
Posted: 02/03/14 Updated: 02/14/15

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

It’s Monday. Well, actually it’s Sunday night, but you’ll be reading this on Monday morning so I’m just going to pretend we’re already there.

Pomegranate Braised Beef Short Ribs with Brown Butter Spaetzel

I was initially so stinkin’ excited to write this post, because today’s meal is just knock your socks off good. Seriously one of the best meals I’ve made…ever. Really.

But now that it’s time to write, I can’t quite get the motivation. I keep checking back and forth between Facebook and Instagram, and procrastinated even more by taking this quiz on Buzzfeed to determine what kind of food matches my personality. Apparently I’m a spaghetti and meatballs kind of gal.

Here’s what they told me:

You’re classic and fun and a little messy. Sometimes even a little out of control. AND you have many wonderful talents (those are the meatballs).

I’d say almost all of that matches up except for the many talents thing – sadly, creative cooking is basically the only “talent” I have. I played pretty much every sport imaginable as a kid, and was terrible at every single one of them, well, except for the one sport that was meant for us short people, gymnastics.

I would cry when I had to go to softball practice. I’m pretty sure I just stood around on the soccer field. And I was so bad at basketball, I got a standing ovation from all the parents when I made my first and only basket in the five-year span I played – it was the one game my parents missed. I even took ice skating lessons for a hot minute where I quickly found out that I’m no Nancy Kerrigan.

Pomegranate Braised Beef Short Ribs with Brown Butter Spaetzel 2_edited-1

Major digression there. Focus. Short Ribs. Short Ribs. Short Ribs.

Pomegranate Braised Beef Short Ribs with Brown Butter Spaetzel

With Valnetine’s Day coming up, I wanted to do a whole week’s worth of Valentine’s Day recipes. I don’t know about you, but Kevin and I hate to go out to dinner on actual day; it’s crowded, you always have to wait even if you made reservations a month in advance, often there are set menus and generally the service isn’t great. So instead, I cook a big fancy meal on the actual day, and Kevin takes me out on Friday or Saturday, but since the big day falls on a Friday this year, we’ll be going to our annual spot, Garrozzos on Saturday – I can’t wait.

Since Kevin is such a luck boy, we had a faux Valentine’s Day dinner this weekend so I could share the V-day recipes here, in plenty of time for the big day. Today, we’re starting with the entrée, and like I said, this meal was hands down one of the best meals I’ve ever made. Your husband/wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/fiancé will seriously swoon after taking a bite, and fall in love with you a million times over.

Pomegranate Braised Beef Short Ribs with Brown Butter Spaetzel

The initial sear creates this insane caramelized crust, which lasts all throughout the red wine, pomegranate and beef stock braise. I braised them low and slow for about three hours until they were fork-tender, but not completely falling apart. My favorite part about these is definitely the sauce, it’s just SO flavorful, during the cooking process it reduces and concentrates into a seriously heavenly sauce. I was literally licking my plate when Kevin wasn’t looking, which I’d normally just do in front of him, but I can’t have my husband see me act like a caged animal on faux Valentine’s Day, now can I?

Pomegranate Braised Beef Short Ribs with Brown Butter Spaetzel

Butttt, we aren’t finished yet. We HAVE to talk about the spätzle. Have you had it before? I LOVE spaetzel, if you’re not familiar, they’re tiny little German dumplings made up of flour, milk and eggs, cooked in simmering water and then bathed in melted butter and parsley. I took them up a notch and bathed them in browned butter and served them underneath the short ribs so the braising liquid would trickle down onto the spätzle. Umm mind-blowing.

Pomegranate Braised Beef Short Ribs with Brown Butter Spaetzel

Andddd….now I’m straving…

Pomegranate Braised Beef Short Ribs with Brown Butter Spaetzel

Take my word here, beef has never tasted better.

Pomegranate Braised Beef Short Ribs with Brown Butter Spaetzel

Pomegranate Braised Beef Short Ribs with Brown Butter Spaetzel

Pomegranate Braised Beef Short Ribs with Brown Butter Spätzle
 
Print
Author: Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps
Serves: 2
Ingredients
Short Ribs
  • 2 pound short ribs (about 6-7 ribs)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1 ¼ cup pomegranate juice
  • 2 ½ cups beef stock
  • 1 carrot
  • ½ medium onion, cut into quarters
  • 1 bay leave
  • ½ cup pomegranate arils
Spätzle
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 
1/4 cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 
1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Short Ribs
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Season short ribs very liberally with salt and pepper on all sides.
  3. Heat a large dutch oven or heavy pot over a medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Brown short ribs on all sides until crusted and dark brown.
  4. Remove ribs, and deglaze pan with red wine, scraping up bits with a wooden spoon. Add 1 cup pomegranate juice, beef stock, carrot, onion and bay leaf. Add ribs back to pot and coat with sauce.
  5. Transfer to oven and cook for 3 hours or until the meat is fork tender but not falling apart, turning every 30-40 minutes.
  6. Once ribs are fork tender, and done cooking, remove the ribs and set aside. Also remove carrots, onion and bay leaf, discard. Return pot back to the stove. Whisk ¼ cup pomegranate juice and 1 tablespoon flour together in a small bowl.
  7. Slowly whisk into sauce. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. Serve with spaetzel and sprinkle with pomegranate arils.
Spätzle
  1. Whisk flour, salt and pepper together in a medium bowl.
  2. Using a wooden spoon add milk and egg, alternating with half of the milk, following by half of the eggs, remaining milk and remaining eggs.
  3. Bring a medium stockpot to a rolling boil. Season with salt.
  4. Using a large grates on a flat handheld grater, push the spaetzel dough through the grates and into the boiling water. Do not crowd pot. Give them a stir after you drop them in so they don’t stick to the bottom.
  5. Cook for 3-4 minutes until puffed and cooked through.
  6. Transfer to a plate while you make the remaining spaetzel.
  7. In a large sauté pan, melt butter over a medium heat. Swirl pan until butter begins to turn a dark brown and smells nutty. Add spaetzel and toss, cook until they begin to brown and crisp up.
3.2.2925

 

Meet Nicole

Welcome! My lifelong passion for delicious food and cooking has evolved over time into an equal love of showing you an elevated meal can be easy, approachable and most importantly, tasty. Dive in and find something perfect for you and your family!

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  1. Christine @ Cooking with Cakes says

    Posted on 2/3/14 at 6:47 pm

    this looks so tender and juicy, I can’t believe I am even craving something this indulgent after how much I ate yesterday!!! seriously this looks so divine and romantic – loves it!

    Reply
    • Nicole says

      Posted on 2/4/14 at 3:31 am

      Thanks Christine! Good thing I had this Saturday before my massive food consumption yesterday!

      Reply
  2. Alaina {Fabtastic Eats} says

    Posted on 2/3/14 at 8:07 pm

    hahah apparently the food that matches my personality is ‘Pizza:: Oh my God. You’re pizza. You’re effortlessly cool. You have very few enemies. And some people have strong opinions about you. But that’s OK. You’re flawless.”
    I’m not sure that fits me at all, but okay!
    This dish is mouthwateringly perfect! I don’t think Ive ever made short ribs at home before, but now I seriously want to! YUM!

    Reply
    • Nicole says

      Posted on 2/4/14 at 3:30 am

      Hahaha Omg that’s hilarious. I love it. I’m kind of obsessed with taking quizzes like that, it reminds of those stupid quizzes that were in like seventeen magazine. Ha!

      Thanks love!

      Reply
  3. Ashley says

    Posted on 2/3/14 at 11:14 pm

    I totally like the way you think : ) Short ribs for the win! This looks seriously delicious. And confession time – I was definitely a competitive figure skater as a kid haha It kinda makes me chuckle now but I was soooo into it at the time!

    Reply
    • Nicole says

      Posted on 2/4/14 at 3:28 am

      OMG I love it! I hope you got to wear some pretty sequined costumes while you were at it too!

      Reply
  4. Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says

    Posted on 2/4/14 at 12:03 am

    I am still up to my eyeballs in pomegranate seeds from some recent experimentation, so this looks soooo perfect to use ’em up! Seriously, I was the same was as a good. I actually thought I had no talents until I entered a kitchen. Go figure!
    Seriously, the sequel, I am drooling over this. That crust looks da bomb! Pinned girlfriend!

    Reply
    • Nicole says

      Posted on 2/4/14 at 3:27 am

      Thanks Taylor!! I’ll take our talent over any silly sport 😉

      Reply
  5. Chelsea @chelseasmessyapron says

    Posted on 2/4/14 at 1:51 am

    Kevin is super lucky to get 2 Valentine’s meals especially these short ribs! They look awesome Nicole!

    Reply
    • Nicole says

      Posted on 2/4/14 at 3:26 am

      Thanks Chelsea!!

      Reply
  6. [email protected] says

    Posted on 2/4/14 at 12:29 pm

    This is the second short rib recipe I’ve clicked on in a row. That must be the universe telling me I need to make some short ribs! These look super delicious served over that buttery spaetzel. I’ve only eaten spaetzel at a German restaurant near our home, but I would love to try making it.

    Reply
    • Nicole says

      Posted on 2/6/14 at 1:21 am

      It’s definitely the universe telling you to make them. SO easy!! And so is the spaetzle!

      Reply
  7. ashley - baker by nature says

    Posted on 2/4/14 at 4:09 pm

    This is such a gorgeous meal! Perfect for V-day dinner dates 🙂

    Reply
    • Nicole says

      Posted on 2/6/14 at 1:21 am

      Thanks Ashley!!!!

      Reply
  8. Chris @ Shared Appetite says

    Posted on 2/4/14 at 8:07 pm

    I seriously just drooled on my keyboard. I can’t stop staring at those short ribs. What a stunning dish! I typically serve my short ribs on some polenta… but now I totally NEED to try making spaetzel. AMAZING!

    Reply
    • Nicole says

      Posted on 2/6/14 at 1:21 am

      Hahah thanks Chris!!!! You MUST try spaetzel!

      Reply
  9. Karen @ The Food Charlatan says

    Posted on 2/5/14 at 9:51 am

    Holy smokes Nicole. This looks amazing. I kind of love this post, because I can SO relate to having an awesome recipe…and then not having anything to blog about. You can only say “This tastes awesome” so many times before people stop listening, right? 🙂 I love that shot of pouring the wine in. yum.

    Reply
    • Nicole says

      Posted on 2/6/14 at 1:20 am

      Thanks Karen! No words, and of course now, I can think of a million things to say, but oh well!

      Reply
  10. Chris @ Knead for Food says

    Posted on 2/5/14 at 3:53 pm

    Love the homemade spatzle as a base for the short ribs. I think I would sleep for 2 days after this meal and not see it as a loss. Good job.

    Reply
    • Nicole says

      Posted on 2/6/14 at 1:19 am

      Thanks Chris!! It’s definitely rich and could put you into a coma.:)

      Reply

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