French-style beef short ribs

When I first started cooking, Gourmet Magazine was outstanding. The recipes were almost always fantastic. The pictures were pretty, and I could count on replicating the dish at home. My mother-in-law hoards recipes (in a good way!) and kept this recipe from the April 1998 issue. We made it together in September 2016 with very few changes. It is a recipe from Chef Egreteau at Le Mas de Peint, which is a hotel near Arles, France, and is a perfect example of what Gourmet Magazine used to provide.

  
    Recipe serves
    Active time
    Total time
  

    8 people
    30m
    3h30m
  

  
    Special equipment needed
  
    8-quart ovenproof heavy casserole dish with a lid
  
    Slotted spoon

  
    Ingredients
  
small onion, finely chopped
  
large carrot, finely chopped
  
cloves garlic, chopped
  
cup Italian parsely, chopped
  
pieces bacon, chopped
  
3x1-inch strip of orange peel
  
pounds beef short ribs, washed and dried
  
    2/3 cup all-purpose flour
  
28-ounce can chopped tomatoes
  
750-ml bottles dry red wine
  
tablespoon dried thyme
  
teaspoons salt
  
    1/2 teaspoon pepper
  
cloves
  
bay leaves
  
ounces brine-cured black olives, pitted

  
    Variations
  
    • I think this is perfect as it is, but I suppose you could add sautéed mushrooms when you add the olives.

  
    Storage
  
    • This will improve with age. If you can, make it a day or two in advance. Cover, and refrigerate. Gently reheat.

  
    Instructions
  
    • Preheat oven to 300º.
  
    • Cook the bacon in the heavy casserole dish until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon leaving the fat in the pan.
  
    • Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Add as many ribs as you can to the pan without crowding. Brown on all sides over medium-high heat. Remove the ribs from the pan with a slotted spoon. Repeat this step until all the ribs are browned.
  
    • Add the chopped onions, carrots, and garlic to the pan. Sauté over medium heat until the onion is soft. Add the bacon and the beef back to the pan. Sprinkle with flour. Stir to coat. Cook 1 minute.
  
    • Stir in the tomatoes, wine, orange zest, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and cloves. Bring to a boil. Cover the pot and cook in the oven for 3 hours. 
  
    • If the sauce isn't thick enough, remove the meat and boil the mixture to the desired thickness, stirring occasionally. Return the meat to the pan and add the olives. Cook until the meat is warmed through.

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