Lidey Heuck’s Braised Short Ribs with Port, Shallots & Cranberries

For last month’s cookbook club, we cooked from Lidey Heuck’s Cooking in Real Life – and the moment I saw her Braised Short Ribs with Port, Shallots & Cranberries, I knew what I was making.

I adore a short rib recipe, and I was especially intrigued by Lidey’s use of tawny port and fresh cranberries. The ribs are seared until golden, then braised with a mountain of browned shallots and garlic in a rich mixture of port, beef broth, and orange juice. A touch of honey, a dash of Worcestershire, and a hint of allspice add depth and warmth. Halfway through, rosemary and cranberries are added to the pot, and everything simmers until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and melt-in-your-mouth good.

We served the ribs over Lidey’s Creamy Polenta – because every short rib deserves polenta. I loved the tart pop of cranberry and the subtle sweetness from the port and honey, which balanced the richness of the meat beautifully.

Another short rib dish to add to my ever-growing list of favorites.

Book: Cooking in Real Life, page 111
Rating: 5/5 
How Easy Is That: Easy
Store-Bought Is Fine: port
Pricey Ingredients: —
Hard-to-find: —

Recipe not online.

The rest of our Cookbook Club menu:

• Honey Roasted Cashews with a Kick, page 33
• Marinated Fennel & Green Bean Salad, page 61
• Little Gem Salad with Avocado Goddess Ranch Dressing & Pickled Red Onions, page 65
• Arugula and Romaine Salad with Radish, Shaved Parm, Pistachios & Mint, page 73
• One-Pan Chicken Meatballs with Red Sauce & Spinach, page 84
• Maple-Roasted Squash with Grapes, Shallots & Rosemary, page 153
• Brussels Sprouts with Dates & Crispy Prosciutto, page 185
• Lemon, Rosemary & Olive Oil Cake, page 221
• Chewy Chocolate Cherry Cookies, pag 222
• Lidey Bars (Vegan Date & Almond Bars), page 246