"We recently enjoyed the braised short ribs that were a dinner special at La Bonne Bouchée. The sauce was wonderful and the meat tender and tasty. I would love to have the recipe."

Herb Bilinsky, St. Louis



Braising makes for a hearty and effortless dish. The meat is browned, then cooked slowly with flavorful liquid. The most important element is a pot with a snug lid that can be used on top of the stove for browning the meat, then put into the oven for long cooking, said Donald Thurston, La Bonne Bouchée's chef de cuisine.

Thurston's version of short ribs includes aromatic vegetables — carrots, onions and celery — and fresh thyme. Red wine contributes flavor and helps tenderize the meat.

La Bonne Bouchee serves a generous portion of ribs with roasted-garlic mashed potatoes and sauce made from the pan liquid. The braised vegetables add color and even more flavor.

This recipe yields about 11 cups of braising liquid. If you don't need that much sauce, strain the liquid from the braising pot as directed. Measure the amount you want for sauce into a saucepan and thicken to your taste with as much cornstarch or roux as needed. (Leftover roux may be refrigerated for future use.)