# Stout and Onion Short Ribs

Bone-in short ribs braise on LOW in stout and a pile of sliced onions, then the liquid is skimmed and reduced.

 

 

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## Stout and Onion Short Ribs

Recipe by Iren Pavlenko

 

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0.0 from 0 votes ** 

Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

8

hours 

Bone-in short ribs braise on LOW in stout and a pile of sliced onions, then the liquid is skimmed and reduced.

### Ingredients

- 4 lb bone-in short ribs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 3 large yellow onions, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup stout beer
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar (optional)

### Directions

- Season the ribs with the salt and pepper.
- Sear them 1 to 2 minutes per side in the hot oil.
- Spread the onions and garlic under and around the meat in the slow cooker.
- Whisk the tomato paste into the stout and broth with the Worcestershire.
- Pour it in, up to one-quarter to three-quarters of the way up the ribs.
- Add the thyme.
- Cover and cook on LOW toward 8 hours.
- If the ribs are tough at hour 8, give them 30 to 60 more minutes; they are undercooked, not overcooked.
- Lift the ribs out, skim the fat and fish out the thyme.
- Simmer the liquid uncovered in a pan for a darker, shinier sauce and balance it with the onions, not extra sugar.

 

### Notes

 

Beer reduces hard. Do not boil it down further than you need or the sauce turns bitter.

 

  

## Why stout and onions work together

 

Stout brings roasted, slightly bitter notes, and the onions add sweetness as they break down. That balance is what makes the sauce taste rich without cream or extra sugar.

 

Three onions look like a lot but shrink to a soft layer under the ribs.

 

## Beer choices and swaps

 

Pick a stout or porter without strong coffee or chocolate flavors. A hoppy IPA turns bitter when reduced. Extra beef broth works if you skip beer, though the sauce will be lighter.

 

Mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles or crusty bread suit this dish. A tangy pickle on the side helps.

 

## Leftovers and the early-quit mistake

 

They keep 4 days in the fridge and reheat well. The sauce thickens as it chills, so loosen it with a spoon of water.

 

The common mistake is giving up too early. Tough ribs at hour 8 need more time, not less. The collagen simply has not let go yet.

 

## Balancing the sauce

 

Stout can turn bitter if the reduction runs long. Taste as it simmers and stop when the sauce coats a spoon. If it tastes sharp, the onions and a little Worcestershire usually fix it better than sugar does. Add salt only at the very end.