Wine-Braised Beef Short Ribs
Second Place Winner - 2013 Missouri State Fair (Cooking with Missouri Wine)
Lorin Fahrmeier, Wellington, Missouri

2 tablespoons olive oil
8 beef short ribs
Salt and black pepper, to taste
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups dry red wine
2 cups beef stock
1 large can whole tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Cheese Grits (see recipe)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat olive oil in a heavy ovenproof pot over medium-high to high heat.  Sprinkle short ribs with salt and pepper.  Brown short ribs in oil, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side.  Use tongs to remove ribs to a plate.

Carefully pour off excess oil. Add garlic, onion, mushrooms and carrots to pot. Stir and cook for a minute or two. Add wine, beef stock, tomatoes, tomato paste and red pepper flakes. Tie thyme and rosemary together with kitchen twine and add to pot. Add salt to taste. Stir to combine.

Using tongs, return ribs to the pot, submerging as much as possible in the sauce. Cover and bake in 300-degree oven 3 1/2 to 4 hours, or until ribs are tender and meat is falling off the bone.

Remove and discard herb bundle. Serve ribs hot, with sauce, over hot Cheese Grits (see recipe).

Note: If you don't have a Dutch oven or other ovenproof pot, you can prepare this  on the stove top. Follow the same instructions, except cook ribs over medium-low heat for about the same amount of time.

CHEESE GRITS

2 cups quick grits, uncooked
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half or light cream
4 teaspoons butter
2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt, to taste

Heat broth in medium pan. Add grits; stir. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover and cook according to package directions, stirring occasionally.  After 30 minutes, stir in half-and-half and butter.  Cook until grits are tender.  Remove from heat. Stir in cheese, garlic powder and cayenne.  Check seasoning and add salt and cayenne to taste.  Serve with Wine-Braised Beef Short Ribs (see recipe).