Braised Beef Short Ribs:

1. Short rib prep: About 30 minutes – 1 hour before you’d like to begin cooking, pull the beef short ribs from the refrigerator & allow them to come up to room temperature. Just before cooking, use a paper towel to pat all sides of the beef short ribs as dry as possible. Season liberally with kosher salt & ground black pepper; a good rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon kosher salt per pound of short ribs.
2. Brown the short ribs: Add the olive oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a tight fitting lid (I use a 5-qt Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Once the oil in the pot is shimmering hot, carefully add in the seasoned short ribs. Work in batches, as necessary, to avoid overcrowding the pot (which prevents browning). Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until nicely browned. Transfer the browned short ribs to a plate & set aside. Repeat, as necessary, with the remaining short ribs. Once all of the short ribs are browned, carefully drain off the drippings from the pot & reserve for later use.
3. Braise the short ribs: Nestle the short ribs back into the pot used to brown them, along with the onion, garlic, bay leaves, fresh rosemary & thyme (I typically tie the whole fresh herbs together with butcher twine for ease). Pour the beef stock/broth over top. Return the pot to medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot & braise for 3 – 3 ½ hours, until the short ribs are fall off the bone tender. [gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="36525,36526"]
4.  Finish the braised short ribs: Carefully transfer the short ribs to a plate or cutting board. Use tongs or 2 forks to shred the short ribs into bite-sized pieces, discarding the bones as you go. Set the shredded short ribs aside. Working carefully, strain the braising liquid – I set a fine mesh strainer over a large liquid measuring cup then pour the contents of the pot through; the mesh strainer catches the spent aromatics & the measuring cup captures all of the deliciously rich beef stock. Discard the spent aromatics. A good amount of fat will rise to the top of the beef stock; use a spoon to carefully strain & discard as much as you can. At this point, you can cool & store for later use (transfer the short ribs & beef stock to separate airtight containers & store in the refrigerator for later use, up to 3 days), or proceed with preparing the beef stroganoff (below).

Braised Beef Stroganoff:

1. Brown the mushrooms: Carefully wipe out the pot used to braise the short ribs, then return to medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the reserved beef drippings from Step 2 to the pot. Once melted & shimmering hot, add the mushrooms. Stir to coat then cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply browned & golden, about 12-15 minutes. At about the 10-minute mark, season the mushrooms with about 1 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Once browned, push to the sides of the pot.
2. Add the aromatics: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the reserved beef drippings (from Step 2, above) to the same pot with the mushrooms. Add the sliced onions, seasoning with a good pinch of kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Stir to coat, then cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cooking for 1-2 minutes longer, until fragrant.
3. Build the stroganoff sauce & add the beef: Pour the reserved beef stock (from Step 4, above) into the pot with the mushrooms & onions. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, & paprika. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the sour cream & remove from the heat. Fold in the shredded beef short ribs (from Step 4, above). Taste & adjust seasoning as needed. [gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="36530,36531"]
4. Serving: Allow to cool slightly, then serve the braised beef stroganoff over buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or your cozy carb of choice (spaetzle, pappardelle, etc.) & garnish with fresh herbs like thyme or chopped parsley. Enjoy!