Beer Braised Short Ribs with Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

Short ribs on a bed of cheddar mashed potatoes, on plates.

5 from 3 votes

Beer Braised Short Ribs with Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

Beer Braised Short Ribs are fall-apart tender and full of incredible flavor! They're surprisingly easy to make and pair perfectly with fluffy cheddar mashed potatoes. This classic comfort food is perfect for a holiday dinner or a fancy date night meal at home.

Prep Time20

Cook Time3 35

Total Time3 55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Easy Dinner Recipes, St. Patrick's Day Recipes, Comfort Food Recipes

Servings: servings

Author: Stephanie Simmons

Ingredients

For the Short Ribs

3 and 1/2 lbs beef short ribs
3 large carrots, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 cups beef broth
2 cups chocolate stout or other dark beer

For the Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

2 and 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, washed + peeled
4 large cloves of garlic, left whole
salt + pepper
3/4 cup milk 180 grams
1/4 cup sour cream 60 grams
6 tbsp salted butter 85 grams
handful of fresh thyme + sage
1 and 1/4 cups grated white cheddar cheese

Instructions

Make the Short Ribs: Preheat oven to 325° F. Season the ribs with salt + pepper. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a large dutch oven over medium heat, and brown the ribs on all sides, working in batches as needed. Set ribs aside on a plate.
Add the onion + carrots to the same pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan to get the flavorful browned bits incorporated, until softened - about 8 minutes.
Add the beef broth and beer and bring to a boil. Add the ribs back in, cover with the lid, and cook in the oven for 1 hour and 45 minutes. After that, turn the oven temperature down to 275° F, and cook for 45 minutes more. The ribs should be fall apart tender when you try to shred them with a fork (but don't shred them all now - just test it).
Set the ribs on a plate and tent with foil. Skim off any visible fat in the liquid, and then pour everything (including the vegetables) into a blender (or use a hand blender in the pot) and puree. The liquid will be frothy. Return the liquid to the pot, bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes to reduce into a thicker sauce & to intensify the flavor.
Return the ribs to the pot and gently reheat, or cover and let cool a bit before refrigerating to serve the next day. The sauce thickens up even more in the fridge overnight and these are fabulous on the next day!
3 and 1/2 lbs beef short ribs, 3 large carrots, chopped, 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced, 3 cups beef broth, 2 cups chocolate stout or other dark beer
Make the Cheddar Mashed Potatoes: While the ribs cook, make the potatoes. Add the potatoes (unpeeled) and the whole garlic cloves (peeled) to a pot of well salted boiling water. Cook 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan and add the milk and herbs. Heat over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring, and making sure it doesn't boil. Then turn off the heat, and discard the herbs.
When potatoes are done cooking, drain and then shake them around in the pot a bit to help fluff them.
Mash the potatoes (a grid masher is the best!). Stir in the milk/butter mixture, and the sour cream. Add salt + pepper to taste. Stir the cheese in last.
Don't worry about the whole garlic cloves! They'll mash into the potatoes beautifully and add SO MUCH flavor. I learned this trick from Midwest Nice Makes!
2 and 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, washed + peeled, 4 large cloves of garlic, left whole, salt + pepper, 3/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup sour cream, 6 tbsp salted butter, handful of fresh thyme + sage, 1 and 1/4 cups grated white cheddar cheese
Serve + Store: Serve the ribs, shredded, over the potatoes. Store leftovers of each in their own air tight containers in the fridge for 5-6 days.

Notes

Peeling Potatoes: You do NOT need to peel your potatoes for mashed potatoes! The peels will be completely undetectable by the time you mash them.

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