Slow Cooker Braised Short Ribs & Roasted Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

9/11 - Thai take-out
9/12 - Mexican Quiche
9/13 - Slow Cooker Braised Short Ribs with Roasted Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

So I've been a super bad blogger.  Unless you work in TV or Film production I don't know that you can understand how all-consuming it can be.  Not only is our house a disaster but I really haven't been cooking at all.  I do have a couple things to back post on the most recent days I missed posting, one because I have a delicious and simple sandwich to share and the other because I made a super easy small batch jam that goes wonderfully with cheese.

But you actually really want to hear about what I made last night for dinner.  That's what today's post should be about, right?  And this is so worth posting, if not the most photogenic of meals.  Yesterday was the Boy's birthday and he is a lover of all things braised, specifically short ribs.  When he asked for short ribs as his birthday dinner it started as a joke, with his punchline being "we can eat at 2am." But when I stopped to think about it I realized I might be able to pull of a delicious birthday meal with a bit of prep and my handy dandy slow cooker.


On Monday I hit the grocery store and got all of my supplies.  On Tuesday morning I forced myself out of bed a bit earlier than I would have liked, so spend 30 minutes browning short ribs, cutting veg and roasting garlic.  I have to say it was actually a very nice way to start the day, doing something I normally love, at least when I'm not working.  I even peeled and cut the potatoes and placed them in cold water in the fridge so they'd be already to go on the stove top when I got home.  It all came together really nicely and the boy was happy, which is all you can ask for on someone's birthday.  It reinforced the need to plan our meals out and maybe use my trusty slow cooker more while I'm working.

Slow Cooker Braised Short Ribs

3 lbs short ribs
1/2 cup flour
extra virgin olive oil
2 stalks celery - sliced into 1-2" pieces
3 medium carrots - peeled & sliced into 1-2" pieces
1 small onion - peeled& chopped into 1-2" pieces
4-5 brown mushrooms - cut into quarters
4-6 beets - peeled and quartered
2 cups red wine
2-3 cups beef stock
1 tsp smoked spanish paprika
1 Tbsp allspice
1 full sprig rosemary
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

1.  Heat a heavy pot over medium high heat.  Toss the short ribs in the flour, seasoned with salt & pepper.  Add a couple glugs of olive oil to the pot and brown off the short ribs on all sides. Reserve on a plate.
2. Place the onions, carrots, celery & mushrooms in the bottom of a 4 quart slow cooker.  Top with browned short ribs. Add in the red wine & then stock to just barely cover the meat.  Top with the beets and spices.
3.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  Serve with roasted garlic & parmesan mashed potatoes

Roasted garlic & Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

1 head of garlic
3 medium potatoes - peeled and cut into quarters
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 Tbsps butter
1/4-1/2 cup light cream

1.  Heat the oven to 400F.  Cut the top of the head of garlic, wrap in foil and place in the oven for about 40 minutes to roast. Remove and let cool. Can be done ahead of time.
2. Place the potato pieces in a pot of cold, salted water, bring it to a boil and cook the potatoes for about 20 minutes or until very tender.
3.  Drain the potatoes & pass through a potato ricer into the hot pot they were cooked in.  Smush the roasted garlic out of the skin and into the pot, add in the butter, cream and parmesan.  Stir to combine.
4.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt & pepper.