After a long, lingering and enjoyable warm fall, Murphys finally turned winter-cold. The perfect setting for Jan and me to indulge in a cozy evening filled with comfort food and the crackles from our woodstove keeping us warm and comfy. 

Since we had a rare (for this time of year) day off, I decided braised short ribs slow-cooked was the perfect comfort food for this cold winter’s day. Braised short ribs are so easy to make and fill the kitchen with irresistible mouth-watering aromas while slowly cooking throughout the day.  

The seasoning blend is simple: 

• 1 tablespoon of Smoked Peppercorn Sage Rub 
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar 
• ½ cup brewed coffee

Add the seasoning blend to:

• 6 cups broth of your choice (vegetable, chicken, beef – your choice)
• 3  Pounds of Bison short ribs, that have been seared on all sides
• 2 to 3 chopped carrots
• 3 to 4 chopped celery
• 1 chopped onion 
• 2 cloves sliced garlic
•  1 + cup  sliced mushrooms 
• ½ cup of good red wine. We used  Broll Mountain Vineyards Cooper 2017. Which was perfect for the braising and for sipping with our dinner.  

Add all ingredients into a slow cooker or Dutch oven.  Cook for 8 hours on low.  This recipe easily serves 6.

The alluring and delightful aromas of the braising pot kept drawing me into the kitchen.

Jan had to practice more patience than he preferred as he asked if we could eat at 3:00 since the lingering aroma was “killing” him!  

We are fortunate to have a local source for fresh Porcini mushrooms which I cooked separately from the braised ribs.  I sliced and simmered them in 1 ½ cup of braising broth for about 20 minutes before the ribs were finished.  The fresh earthy mushrooms cooked down to a delectable, buttery soft gravy. As a side dish, I served the mushrooms over perfectly baked potatoes. 

Needless to say, Jan was happy that he waited patiently for this wintery comfort dinner.  It overflowed with mouth-watering umami flavors. 

Note that I did not use any butter in this dish, even with the simmered mushrooms.  Although sauteed mushrooms in butter are a real gourmet treat and one of my absolute favorite dishes, this time we opted for a healthier dish using less salt and fat.  We were not disappointed.  Jan asked if we could have this again next week!   

We sourced out beautiful porcini mushrooms from Gabe at Love Creek Center for Permaculture. 

Happy Comfort Food Cooking!

Jan & Patty