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pomegranate braised boneless short ribs on a bed of cauliflower & potato mash with a black fork

Pomegranate Braised Boneless Short Ribs

These Pomegranate Braised Boneless Short Ribs are all about big flavor with little effort. The short ribs slow cook in pomegranate juice and balsamic vinegar until they're fall-apart tender, and the dutch oven does most of the work for you. They're sweet, tangy and pair perfectly with a creamy potato and cauliflower mash for a hearty yet nourishing Winter dinner!
Servings 6 people
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Pomegranate Braised Boneless Short Ribs:

  • avocado oil or olive oil
  • 2.5 lbs boneless beef short ribs cut into about 7 large chunks
  • kosher salt to taste
  • 1 large yellow onion cut into large chunks
  • 6 garlic cloves peeled & smashed
  • ½ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1.5 cups pomegranate juice
  • 1 cup beef broth (or stock, bone broth)
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
  • 1 bay leaf

For the Potato & Cauliflower Mash:

  • 1 lb yellow or gold potatoes peeled & cut into large chunks
  • ½ lb cauliflower florets
  • 2-3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • ⅓ cup milk (2% or higher recommended)
  • kosher salt & black pepper to taste

For Garnish:

  • pomegranate seeds

Instructions

  • First, preheat your oven to 325F. Then, use a paper towel to pat the short ribs dry. Season generously with kosher salt all over. Bring a dutch oven to medium-high heat. Once hot, add a very light amount of oil (the beef will render off more fat so you don't need much). Then, add half of the short ribs and sear until golden on each side, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from pot and repeat with the remaining short ribs, reducing the heat as needed if the pot is getting too hot. Set short ribs aside.
    avocado oil, 2.5 lbs boneless beef short ribs, kosher salt
  • Reduce heat to medium, add the chopped onion & season with kosher salt. Sauté, stirring often, for about 4-5 mintues. Then, add in the garlic and sauté for 1-2 more minutes. Deglaze the pan with balsamic vinegar, scraping up all the browned bits at the bottom of the pot. Add in the pomegranate juice, beef broth and honey and stir.
    1 large yellow onion, 6 garlic cloves, ½ cup balsamic vinegar, 1.5 cups pomegranate juice, 1 cup beef broth, 1 tbsp honey
  • Add the seared short ribs back into the pot, making sure that they're mostly submerged. If you're using a larger/wider dutch oven, you may need to add a bit more broth. Nestle in the thyme, cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Increase the heat to bring it up to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot with a lid and transfer to the preheated oven for about 2.5 hours, or until fork tender.
    3 sprigs of fresh thyme, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf
  • When the short ribs are almost done cooking, add the chopped potato & cauliflower florets to a large pot and cover with water. Bring up to a boil. Once boiling, season heavily with kosher salt, and reduce the temp to a more gentle boil, about medium heat. Cook until fork tender, about 12-15 minutes.
    1 lb yellow or gold potatoes, ½ lb cauliflower florets
  • Drain off the water, and return the potatoes & cauliflower to the pot over medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes -- this helps dry them out even more so the mash isn't too runny.
  • Transfer potatoes & cauliflower to a food processor along with the butter, milk, and kosher salt & black pepper to taste. Blend until smooth, adding more butter/milk as needed.
    2-3 tbsp unsalted butter, ⅓ cup milk, kosher salt & black pepper
  • Once the short ribs are done braising, remove them from the pot. Then, strain & discard all the solids. Skim off excess fat on the surface of the braising liquid, or use a fat separator if you have it.
  • Return the braising liquid to the dutch oven and bring it up to a gentle boil, about medium heat. Continue to let it boil and reduce until it has thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 7-8 minutes.
  • Serve the pomegranate braised short ribs over a bed of potato & cauliflower mash, then pour on some of the reduced sauce and garnish with pomegranate seeds. Enjoy!
    pomegranate seeds

Notes

SEE BODY OF BLOG POST ABOVE FOR TIPS ON HOW TO MODIFY THIS RECIPE FOR A TRADITIONAL SLOW COOKER OR INSTANT POT.
Calories: 517kcal
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: Beef, Braising, Cauliflower, Dutch Oven, Gluten Free, Mashed Potatoes, Pomegranate, Short Ribs, Slow Cooking, Winter Dinner, Winter Recipes

Nutrition

Calories: 517kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 306mg | Potassium: 1360mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 159IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 5mg