Pimentón-Braised Short Ribs with Garlic, Sherry and Dried Cherries — 2021 Estate Red

Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 3 hours 30 minutes (mostly unattended) | Total time: 4 hours | Serves: 4

Short Rib Ingredients

The short ribs

• 4 lbs. bone-in English-cut beef short ribs (2 to 3 inches thick), at room temperature 1 hour before cooking

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil (grapeseed or vegetable)

The braise

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 1 head garlic (about 10 cloves), smashed and peeled

• 2 teaspoons sweet pimentón de la Vera (smoked Spanish paprika)

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1 cup dry oloroso sherry

• 2 cups beef stock

• 1/2 cup dried sour cherries

• 3 sprigs fresh thyme

• 2 bay leaves

To finish

• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

• Fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

• Creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, or buttered egg noodles, to serve

Substitutions and sourcing notes:

On pimentón de la Vera: This is smoked Spanish paprika made from peppers dried over oak fires in the La Vera region of Extremadura. It is categorically different from regular paprika and from generic smoked paprika. Look for it at specialty food stores or online; it is the ingredient most worth sourcing properly in this recipe. Both sweet (dulce) and bittersweet (agridulce) varieties work; the sweet version is specified here.

How to Make Pimentón-Braised Short Ribs

Braised short ribs are a project dish, but the active work is concentrated in the first 30 minutes. Once the pot goes into the oven, the braise runs itself. The result is a dish that is genuinely better the next day, making it ideal for entertaining: cook it the day before, refrigerate overnight, lift off the solidified fat, and reheat gently before serving.

Step 1: Sear the short ribs (15 minutes)

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Pat the short ribs completely dry with paper towels and season generously on all sides with kosher salt and black pepper. Thorough drying is essential: moisture prevents the deep brown crust that gives the braise its flavor foundation.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Sear the short ribs in batches, leaving space between each piece. Cook without moving for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply browned on all surfaces, including the ends. Transfer to a plate as each batch finishes. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot.

Step 2: Build the braise (10 minutes)

Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until softened and beginning to color. Add the smashed garlic and cook 2 minutes more.

Add the tomato paste and pimentón and stir for 1 minute until the paste darkens and the paprika becomes fragrant. Do not let the paprika burn; burnt paprika turns bitter and cannot be corrected.

Pour in the oloroso sherry and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer and reduce by half, about 3 minutes.

Add the beef stock, dried cherries, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Return the short ribs to the pot, bone-side up, nestling them into the liquid. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the ribs; add a splash of water or stock if needed.

Step 3: Braise (3 to 3.5 hours)

Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, then cover and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 3 to 3.5 hours, until the meat pulls away from the bone with no resistance when tested with tongs. Check at the 2.5-hour mark: if the meat is not yet tender, give it another 30 minutes and check again.

Make-ahead note: Transfer the ribs and braising liquid to a container and refrigerate overnight. The fat will solidify on the surface and can be lifted off cleanly before reheating. The flavor improves significantly after a night in the refrigerator. Reheat covered at 300°F for 45 minutes.

Step 4: Finish the sauce (10 minutes)

Remove the short ribs from the pot and set aside. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan, pressing the solids to extract all the liquid. Skim any visible fat from the surface.

Bring the strained liquid to a boil over high heat and reduce by roughly half, about 8 to 10 minutes, until the sauce is glossy and coats a spoon. Remove from heat and swirl in the cold butter cubes until incorporated.

Taste and adjust with salt and pepper.

Step 5: Serve

Place the short ribs in shallow bowls or on plates over creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, or buttered egg noodles. Spoon the sauce generously over and around the ribs. Scatter fresh parsley over the top.

Timing note for hosts: This dish is designed to be made the day before. On the day of serving, the only work is reheating the ribs, reducing and finishing the sauce, and plating. The whole process from refrigerator to table takes under an hour.

Wine Pairing Notes: Ojai Mountain 2021 Estate Red

The 2021 Estate Red is the most structured of the three Estate Red vintages: Grenache-forward with a mineral edge that is characteristic of Ojai Mountain's high-altitude site, and built for gradual evolution. That structure is what makes this pairing work at a level the other Estate Red vintages cannot quite replicate.

The braise and the wine speak the same flavor language. Oloroso sherry has an oxidative, nutty depth that mirrors the wine's savory earthiness. Dried sour cherries reflect the wine's dark fruit character. Pimentón de la Vera adds a smoke-and-mineral note that connects directly to the wine's terroir-driven character. This is a pairing built on resonance, not contrast, and it works because neither element overwhelms the other.

The key: the braise is rich but not heavy. The sherry and beef stock base has real depth without the sweetness of a port-based sauce, which would flatten the wine's precision. The pimentón keeps the flavor profile savory rather than sweet, which is where the 2021 Estate Red lives.

Decant for 20 to 30 minutes. The 2021's structure benefits from air; it opens up and its fruit becomes more generous with time. Decant while the sauce reduces.

Serving temperature: 63 to 66°F. A touch warmer than the 2020, because this vintage's tannins are firmer and benefit from the slight softening that comes with temperature.

At the table: Pour the wine as the ribs go onto the plates. The sauce should still be glossy and warm. The combination of rendered fat, sherry reduction, and cold-butter finish creates exactly the kind of richness that the 2021 Estate Red is structured to meet.