Guinness Braised Short Ribs with Polenta and Broccolini

I present you a tale of two short ribs. Last week, we went out to eat with family at a casual upscale restaurant and ordered the short ribs with a side of Broccolini. The short ribs came with whipped potatoes and carrots and they were absolutely delicious. They were also $26 dollars and the side was $6, which isn't that much for a nice meal at a restaurant. But what if I told you that you could make a similarly delicious meal for less than $10 dollars a serving? Worth it?

I know that this is more than my normal recipes but it's still a savings and you're not going to miss the hassle of going out to eat now. Also, it felt luxurious eating this at home. Enjoy!

PS- If you want to see a comparison of the two dishes, hit up Instagram (@messwithmelissa), I'm pretty proud of my burgeoning plating skills.

I made this in our new Instant Pot but I'll include instructions at the end to use a crock pot

1. Season the short ribs on a plate with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil. Use the SAUTE function on high and when hot, put short ribs in meat side down to brown. You'll have to do this in batches. Place on a plate when done.

2. Throw in onion with a splash of oil. Saute for a bit until they start getting browned. Toss in the garlic and tomato paste. Continue sauteing for about another minute.

3. Add beef broth, Guinness and vinegar. Stir for a few and let it simmer. Try to scrape the bottom of the pot to really get everything together.

4. Place the ribs in but on their sides so they all fit. It kind of looks like a short rib hot tub but I digress. Place the Instant Pot lid on and cook on PRESSURE COOKER and high for 40 minutes.

5. When it's done, let the pressure come down naturally for 15 minutes. Then quick release the pressure. Move the short ribs to a bowl and cover them to keep the heat in. Take the lid off and turn on the SAUTE function. With a ladle, try to take out as much fat as you can.

6. Pour sauce over short ribs, serve and enjoy!

SIDES-

1. Once the ribs are on the pressure cooker cycle, preheat the oven to 415 degrees.

2. Cut off bottoms of broccolini (similar to what you would do with asparagus), spread on a baking sheet. Toss in Olive Oil and add a splash of soy sauce. If you want to add a little spice, throw on some red pepper flakes.

3. Slice the tube of polenta into half inch pieces. Lay out on another baking sheet. If you'd like to add a crispy layer of parmesan, sprinkle on top.

4. Place both sides in the oven for about 15-18 minutes. When the broccolini is done, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5. Boom. You made fancy sides.

Crock Pot Instructions- (Use Instant Pot instructions as a guide)

1. Use a pan on the stovetop to brown the meat and saute onion and garlic.

2. Transfer onions, garlic, and all liquid ingredients to Crock Pot. Stir well and heat on high. Add Short Ribs on their side. Cover and cook on High for 4-6 hours.