Short Ribs with Coffee Gravy
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Recipe by:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 8 (6-inch) short ribs (about 4 pounds), bone-in and fat trimmed
  • 4 tablespoons Acadiana Table Cajun Seasoning Blend, see recipe here
  • 2 (18.5-ounce) cans Progresso onion soup
  • 1 tablespoon beef base, such as Better Than Bouillon
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 cups chopped carrots
  • 1 cup chopped green onion
  • 1 cup sliced red onion
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1½ cups brewed dark roast coffee
  • 1 tablespoon sugarcane molasses
  • 4 tablespoons cornstarch
  • Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper
  • 8 cups mashed potatoes, for serving
  • 4 sprigs parsley, for garnish
Instructions
  1. Inspect the short ribs and remove any excess fat. Sprinkle on all sides with Cajun seasoning.
  2. In the ceramic bowl of a slow cooker, add the onion soup, beef base, tomato paste and 2 cups water. Add the short ribs, meat side down. Add the carrots, onions, parsley, and bell pepper. Add the brewed coffee and molasses.
  3. Set the timer to 6 hours on high; cover and let cook.
  4. Once the beef is tender, remove from the slow cooker along with the carrots. Strain off the sauce into a saucepan and discard the vegetables.
  5. Over high heat, bring the sauce to a simmer. Make a slurry with the cornstarch by adding a few tablespoons of cold water, and add to the sauce to thicken to coat the back of a spoon. Once thickened, strain it once more to remove any lumps. Season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Serve the short ribs over mashed potatoes with a ladle of gravy over all. Serve the carrots on the side and garnish with sprigs of parsley and a grind of black pepper.
Notes
I have an 8-quart slow cooker, but this recipe can be scaled to any size vessel you have. I have whole coffee beans and finely grind them for a stronger brew; feel free to use dark roast ground coffee. Source the meaty, well-marbled English cut, bone-in short ribs for ultimate flavor. Pick up a jar of Better Than Bouillon beef base; you’ll find lots of uses for it. The Progresso onion soup is a delicious beef stock with an oniony sweetness; use it in sauces, pot roasts, and other braised recipes. I like these beef ribs served with mashed potatoes, but long-grain white rice would be excellent, too.
Recipe by Acadiana Table at https://www.acadianatable.com/2018/02/05/short-ribs/