I love making short ribs for guests. When hosting a dinner party, short ribs are a crowd favorite, and they’re also easy to make ahead of time. They seem impressive since they typically aren’t a weeknight staple, but honestly, they are ultra low-maintenance. Since my “signature” dish is risotto, this short rib and risotto combo is a go-to during cold winter months. The best part is, once the meat is braised (best if done the night before), the dish itself only takes 20 minutes. A win for any holiday hosts! For best practices when making risotto, check out my blog.

Short Rib Risotto

Ingredients:

• 4-6 bone-in short ribs (and additional ingredients included in your braising recipe of choice - see note below)

• 1 minced shallot

• 1 cup arborio or carnaroli rice

• 4 cups warm beef broth

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 2 tbsp butter

• 1/4-1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano

Directions:

1. Braise short ribs using your preferred braising recipe (I follow The Pioneer Woman’s recipe). Remove bones, shred with a fork, and place in fridge for at least two hours or overnight to solidify fat.

2. Using a spoon, remove solid fat from the short rib container. Place shredded meat in a saucepan or high-walled skillet on low heat and cover.

3. In a separate pan, heat short rib fat over medium heat. Once sizzling, add shallot and cook until soft, about 3-5 minutes.

4. Add rice and toast for one minute.

5. Pour in wine, raise heat to medium-high, and cook off for about 2 minutes.

6. Once liquid has reduced by about half, bring to low heat, and begin ladling warm broth into rice pan, stirring to incorporate with each ladle. Continue the process, gently adding more broth as the rice absorbs liquid. This should take about 20 minutes.

7. When rice is soft and fully cooked, remove from heat and add butter and cheese, stirring to incorporate. Serve immediately, topping each plate with shredded short ribs.

Serves 4.