Creamy Polenta Braised Beef (Printable)
Velvety, buttery polenta paired with tender, fall-off-the-bone braised beef short ribs and rich sauce.
# What's Needed:
→ Braised Beef Short Ribs
01 - 4 bone-in beef short ribs (1.5–2 lbs)
02 - Salt, to taste
03 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 1 large onion, diced
06 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced
07 - 2 celery stalks, diced
08 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
09 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
10 - 1 cup dry red wine
11 - 2 cups beef broth
12 - 1 sprig fresh rosemary
13 - 2 sprigs fresh thyme
14 - 2 bay leaves
→ Creamy Polenta
15 - 4 cups water
16 - 1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal)
17 - 1 cup whole milk
18 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
19 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
20 - Salt, to taste
21 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously season the short ribs with salt and black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs on all sides until browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
03 - Add diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
04 - Incorporate tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in dry red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to release browned bits. Simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
05 - Stir in beef broth, fresh rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Return short ribs to the pot along with any accumulated juices. Bring to a simmer.
06 - Cover the pot and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise the meat for 2½ to 3 hours, until tender and falling off the bone.
07 - Approximately 30 minutes before the ribs finish, bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in the polenta. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until thick and creamy, about 20 to 25 minutes.
08 - Stir in whole milk, butter, and grated Parmesan. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Keep warm over low heat, adding more milk as needed to maintain desired creaminess.
09 - Remove short ribs from the braising liquid. Discard rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Skim excess fat and reduce sauce over medium heat if a thicker consistency is preferred.
10 - Spoon creamy polenta into serving bowls. Top with braised short ribs and a generous ladle of the braising sauce.
# Tips for Success:
01 -
- The short ribs become so tender they practically dissolve on your tongue, which sounds dramatic until it actually happens to you.
- Your kitchen fills with a smell so incredible that everyone in the house will ask what you're making within five minutes.
- Once you taste polenta this way—buttery, creamy, not at all the gluey stuff some people remember—you'll keep finding reasons to make it.
- It's fancy enough for dinner guests but honest enough to feel like home.
02 -
- Don't skip the searing step—it feels like extra work but creates the foundation for everything that follows, and rushed searing results in a pale, less flavorful final dish.
- Polenta needs constant stirring early on to prevent lumps, and it actually benefits from being stirred more than you think it needs it.
- The polenta will thicken as it cools, so if it seems a bit loose when you finish cooking, that's actually perfect because it'll set up more as you plate and serve.
03 -
- Make the short ribs a day ahead if you can—the flavors actually deepen as they sit, and you'll have time to skim the fat from the top of the sauce when it solidifies overnight, which makes everything taste cleaner.
- If your polenta seems too thick when you finish cooking it, remember that a splash of warm milk stirred in at the last moment brings it back to silky perfection without making it taste diluted.