Vietnamese French Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine and Mushrooms

Last month during chillier weather, I was in the mood for a nice hearty stew. Hmm. I've already blogged Bo Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew) and Boeuf Bourguignon (French Beef Burgundy), both with oxtails. Beef short ribs were half the price of oxtails, yet just as meaty and tasty.

Perhaps a little fusion was in order? Less wine + less spices = less laborious. Basically, I ended up with a French beef stew with less wine so it didn't overpower the Vietnamese spices. I think I just love any beef stew with a little wine and tomato paste really.


Vietnamese French Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine and Mushrooms

For a 6-quart pot, you'll need:
2 lb of beef short ribs
4 slices bacon, diced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
6-oz can tomato paste
1 large onion, diced or 1 cup pearl onions
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
8 oz mushrooms, halved
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup red wine of your choice
1 tblsp Ca Ri Ni An Do (Vietnamese Indian Madras Curry Powder)
1 tblsp Nuoc Mam (Vietnamese Fish Sauce)

You'll need about 2 lb beef short ribs. Wash and set aside.


In a large pot on high heat, saute the diced bacon until most of the fat is rendered.

Sprinkle about 1/2 cup flour over the beef, making sure to coat each piece. Pan-fry the short ribs until each side is brown. You may have to do this in batches. I just move the beef to one side of the pot and stack them on top of each other. When the beef is all browned, add any remaining flour to the pot. It'll help thicken the stew.


Add 1 large diced onion, 2 diced carrots, 2 diced celery stalks, and 6 minced garlic cloves. Add 1 6-oz can tomato paste and 1 tblsp Vietnamese curry powder. Then add 1 cup of red wine, depending on preference. Then fill your pot about 3/4 full with water. Add 2 tsp salt and 1 tblsp fish sauce.

When the water boils, turn the heat down to medium and let simmer for an hour.


Add the mushrooms after the stew has been simmering for an hour. Taste and add salt or fish sauce if necessary. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let it simmer for another hour.


Serve with French bread or mashed potatoes or rice.


Enjoy!

Who made my fusion Vietnamese-French Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine and Mushrooms?
Christine of Kits Chow said, "I think it is WC's use of the curry paste and fish sauce that imparts that wonderful flavour to the sauce. The sauce doesn't taste of curry or fish sauce but all blends together to form a rich, delicious taste. The word "umami" can be applied to this dish!"

Other beef stew recipes:
Bo Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew)
Boeuf Bourguignon (French Beef Burgundy)
Osso Bucco (Italian Braised Beef Shanks)

*****
1 year ago today, Ga Hap (Vietnamese Steamed Chicken).
2 years ago today, a video and my not-so-pretty but oh-so-yummy Spam Musubi.