Beer Braised Short Ribs with Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

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

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.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

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

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 3 35

Servings servings

Calories 774kcal

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
salt + pepper
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
6 tbsp salted butter
4 large cloves of garlic
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!
Make the Cheddar Mashed Potatoes: While the ribs cook, make the potatoes. Add the peeled potatoes* to a pot of salted boiling water. Cook 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan and add the garlic and herbs. Heat over low heat for 10 minutes. Then turn off the heat, and discard the garlic and herbs.
When potatoes are done cooking, drain and then shake them around in the pot a bit to help fluff them.
Mash the potatoes well. Keep the heat on low to help melt the cheese. Stir in the milk, sour cream, and garlic butter. Add salt + pepper to taste. Stir the cheese in last.
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: Confession time -I often don't peel my potatoes for mashed potatoes because my husband and I don't mind the skins. Feel free to do this as a time saver - just be sure to scrub the potatoes well.

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