Italian Braised Short Ribs - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
salt
fresh ground black pepper
5 1/2 - 6 lbs beef short ribs, English cut
1/4 cup olive oil
2 ounces pancetta, chopped
2 yellow onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup dry red wine
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup beef broth
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tablespoon dried oregano

Preparation

On a plate, stir together the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Turn the ribs in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.
In a large heavy pot, heat the oil over med-high heat.
Working in batches, sear the ribs, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes; transfer to a plate.
Add the pancetta to the pot and saute until mostly crisp, 4-5 minutes.
Add the onions and saute until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the carrots, tomato paste, and sugar and cook, stirring often, until well blended, about 1 minute.
Add the wine, bring to a boil, and stir to scrape up any browned bits on the pan bottom.
Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, broth, and vinegar and bring to a boil.
Preheat the oven to 350\u00b0; return the ribs to the pot with the tomato mixture.
Add the bay leaves, rosemary and thyme sprigs, and oregano.
Cover and cook in the oven until the ribs are very tender, about 2 hours.
Skim as much fat as possible from the cooking liquid and discard the bay leaves.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.