For some reason, I had always assumed that when I reached the latter half of my twenties, I would own all kinds of grand cookware and cutlery and know how to use it (and I would hold these things in my home which I would also own, but that is neither here nor there in this post).

Regardless, one thing I have wanted for who-knows-how-long is a cast iron dutch oven. I came across one over the weekend (this guy from Emeril, to be precise) and, at $50, when most enamel dutch ovens are upwards of $125, I hopped on it. And I knew what I was going to make first. Short ribs. Without a doubt.

Short ribs are one of those things that have exploded onto menus in recent years. Despite it being classified as "chuck" meat, after a few hours of low-and-slow cooking, they turn into the most tender, melt-in-your-mouth delicacies little money can buy. I have eaten these everywhere; with Guinness in stew, over polenta with roasted veggies,with gnocchi, with wine, with anything, who cares. They're delicious.



So. I searched a few recipes and then kind of winged it (off of this Giada recipe, minus the whole latter part. Whoops. It was late) for these. I knew I wanted something tomato-based as Matty was making fresh pasta. I'll tell you how to do that, too:

• Date someone who knows how to make fresh pasta. 
• And there you go.

• ~3 lbs beef short ribs
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 good sized tomatoes, quartered
• 1 cup Carbernet Sauvignon
• 4 T dijon mustard
• 2 cups beef broth (low sodium pref)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, place a rack in the lower 1/3rd
• Season short ribs on all sides with salt and pepper
• Heat olive oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat
• Add short ribs and brown meat on all sides, probably about 2 minutes/side.
• Remove short ribs and set aside
• Add onion and garlic to dutch oven and cook about 2 minutes
• Add tomatoes, wine and mustard and bring to a boil
• Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits
• Return the short ribs to the pan
• Add the beef broth and cover
• Place in the oven and cook for 2.5 hours, until the meat is falling off the bone
• Cook however many servings of pasta (yes, seriously), according to directions, approx ~2 minutes before al dente,) 
• Remove short ribs from dutch oven. Add pasta to the sauce.
• Trim ribs of fat and off the bone
• Toss pasta in with tomatoes and sauce
• Serve short ribs over pasta
• Enjoy with a glass of wine, like the adult that you are!