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Greek-Style Braised Short Ribs with Cinnamon and Tomato

Greek-Style Braised Short Ribs with Cinnamon and Tomato reads umami 8.6, richness 7.1 and salinity 4.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Greek main, about 3 hr 21 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 9.3 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.3 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 3.9 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.1 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 7.5 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.6 · Richness 7.1 · Salinity 4.5 · Sweetness 4.4 · Allium 3.7 · Sourness 3.5 · Floral 3.2 · Fruity 2.8 · Funk & Ferment 2.5 · Warm Spice 2.2 · Earthy 1.9 · Herbaceous 1.8 · Bitterness 1.5 · Nutty 1.2 · Citrus 1.2 · Heat 0.7

What's in it (16)

• boneless beef short ribs — 1814 g
• salt — 7 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• olive oil — 41 g
• yellow onions — 220 g
• garlic — 12 g
• tomato paste — 30 g
• dry red wine — 237 g
• tomatoes — 794 g
• beef broth — 473 g
• cinnamon — 2 g
• allspice — 300 g
• bay — 2 g
• honey — 15 g
• red wine vinaigrette — 30 g
• parsley — 15 g

Time & effort: about 3 hr 21 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 204.3 kcal, 14.1 g protein, 12.7 g fat, 9.6 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Pat the short ribs dry and season generously all over with the salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Working in two batches so the pot isn't crowded, sear the ribs until deeply browned on all sides, 3-4 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.
2. Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, 6-7 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens slightly and the garlic is fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
4. Pour in the red wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot, and simmer until reduced by half, about 4 minutes.
5. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, and bay leaves. Return the short ribs and any accumulated juices to the pot, bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and braise until the meat is fork-tender and pulling from the bone, 2 1/2 to 3 hours, turning the ribs once halfway through.
6. Transfer the ribs to a plate and tent loosely with foil. Skim the excess fat from the surface of the sauce and discard the cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, and bay leaves.
7. Bring the sauce to a simmer uncovered over medium-high heat and cook until reduced and thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 10-12 minutes.
8. Stir in the honey and red wine vinegar, then return the ribs to the pot and simmer gently to warm through, 2-3 minutes. Season to taste with more salt.
9. Plate the ribs over the sauce, scatter with parsley, and serve.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Old-Fashioned Beef Stew with Root Vegetables — American
• Classic Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots — American
• Sunday Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes — American
• Sunday Sauce with Braised Meatballs — Italian-American
• Pastitsio (Greek Baked Pasta with Spiced Beef and Bechamel) — Greek

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.