Moose Short Ribs

This year my husband had the butcher cut short ribs when we had to moose processed.  We have never had that done before, usually the rib meat went into the grind and became burger or sausage but luckily one of the hunters that went to moose camp this year wanted that cut.  There our ribs sat in the freezer. I didn't know what to do with them.  I was reading October's cooking Light, and there was a recipe for Cabernet Short Ribs.  I had a couple of bottles of great cabernet from a winery in Oregon when I went to visit two of my boys, and I had the moose ribs in the freezer, I figured it was worth a try.  They were delicious!  Fall off the bone tender, full of flavor, pure comfort food at it's finest.  I had one package left.  I decided to make them this weekend, it is dark, it is cold, our kids are all gone, we are feeling sorry for ourselves...quite the pity party!  We needed some good comfort food to ease the pain.  Oh! They were so good.  I don't think I can wait until next fall, when Dave gets the next moose, to have these again.  I am willing to buy beef to make these.

Cabernet Short Ribs
adapted from Cooking Light, October 2011
8 bone in moose ribs (you can use beef, the recipe called for 16 3oz. ribs)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 med. onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
6 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 1/2 cups cabernet
1 1/4 cup beef broth
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper.  Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add 1 tbsp. olive oil to pan, add half the ribs and saute for 6 minutes turning to brown on all sides.  Remove ribs to plate, repeat procedure with remaining oil and ribs.  Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic to pan.  Cook 3 minutes stirring constantly.  Add wine to pan and bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.  Cook for 13 minutes or until reduced to 2 cups.
Preheat oven to 350º F.
Add broth to pan and bring to a boil.  Return ribs to the pan.  Cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours, turning the ribs after 45 minutes.
Remove ribs from pan, tent with aluminum foil.  Strain cooking liquid through a fine mesh sieve over a bowl.  Discard the solids.  Skim fat, discard (moose really doesn't have a lot of fat, but I left that direction in for the beef).  Return cooking liquid to pan.  Combine flour with 2 tbsp. butter, cook stirring often until it becomes a brown, nutty color.  Whisk in cooking liquid and let boil until slightly reduced and thickened.  Stir in vinegar.  Serve over ribs.

I served mine with mashed potatoes and a crisp salad on the side.  I have a new obsession.

December  18, 2011   Daylight 3 hours, 43 minutes, 49 seconds    Current Temp. 28º F