You’ve had chicken marsala, but you’ve never had creamy beef short rib marsala. At least like this, not the CarnalDish way. Our mouths have five basic tastes, and the umami taste (also known as savory) is one of my absolute favorite tastes to harp on. To me, it’s what makes comfort food comforting. That “I’ve been cooking all day” flavor, that reminds you of your grandma…that’s what this is, but elevated.
If you decide to make this dish, I highly recommend you pair it with either creamy grits/polenta, mashed cauliflower, or mashed potatoes. That incredibly succulent marsala sauce clings to everything it lands on, and what better way to let it slide down your throat than on a bed of something starchy.
Because we’re on a low-carb keto diet, I whipped up a very quick roasted cauliflower mash to accompany this insanely divine marsala short ribs. I have made tons of short rib dishes (that I haven’t blogged, unfortunately), and this is hands down my favorite. It’s STUPID good. What’s crazy is that it has the nerve to taste even better the next day. Girl, what?
When picking your short ribs, try to grab ones that are well-marbled and bone-in with a good amount of fat. I was grabbing packs from my local Wegmans when I realized that one pack lacked bones. Oh nah, we need that bone-in flavor. Fatty short ribs melt in your mouth like meat butter, so don’t even attempt to trim any off. Leave them alone.
Mushrooms Add Hella Flavor
As for the mushrooms, we’re using a lot here, and for good reason. Mushrooms are just delicious, first of all. Second, they also enhance the meatiness of this dish in a very complimentary way. I urge you to be creative here and pick a bunch of different mushrooms for the roasting portion of this recipe. I prefer using quartered Cremini mushrooms for the actual braising liquid because they don’t disintegrate and turn into mush. They also give you a great bite after being braised for three hours. If you decide to slice them, make sure you slice them thick.
The method of browning the mushrooms before braising is simple and totally necessary. Mushrooms hold a lot of water, and we need to squeeze that water out via cooking. Once that liquid is released, they begin to brown beautifully and hold up as they braise. My point here is, don’t skip this step.
Girl, Anchovies??
I know some of you are going to see anchovy filets on the ingredient list and freak out. However what you don’t know is that they do not lend a fishy taste to the dish at all. Instead, they also enhance the savory components due to their own glutamates. Chef’s use them all the time in tomato-based dishes to achieve that same savory effect. Will your dish suffer if you don’t add them? No. But it won’t be as good as what I’m promising you. You’ve trusted me this far, keep going, I won’t steer you wrong.
How to make Marsala Short Ribs
Here’s a few of our main characters. The short ribs have been pre-seasoned with just kosher salt 24 hours prior.
When the oil is nice and hot, sear each side of the short ribs until golden brown, this will take about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Keep searing
keeeeep searing…
stand them up to sear the ends. Transfer the seared ribs to a plate so they can relax while you work on the braise.
All of this accumulated fat. We don’t need all of it, but we definitely want the stuff stuck on the bottom. So pour this fat off, but keep the fond.
We want fresh oil for the mushrooms and aromatics. So pour in some clean olive oil.
Add the quartered criminis.
Toss to coat, and if you need a little more fat, add some.
Layer them in an even layer as much as you can. Then, leave them alone!
What’s going to happen is that the mushrooms are going to release a ton of liquid…
Don’t touch them, just let them cook.
This liquid will eventually evaporate, and create a beautiful layer of flavorful fond at the bottom of the pot.
About 8 minutes later, we’re just about there.
Now, the mushrooms are starting to brown. So toss them around and let them brown on each side, this will take about 5 to 7 minutes.
See? Progress.
This is what your shrooms should be lookin like.
Add the onions.
Add the celery
Along with some more seasoning, because seasoning every layer is important here.
Pour in 3/4 cup of that delicious marsala wine, and scrape up all the yummy stuff stuck on the bottom of the pot.
Toss in the garlic, and continue to stir,
Continue to cook the garlic for about a minute.
Don’t forget the anchovy! Stir that around for about 30 seconds to release its flavor.
Nestle in that bundle of fresh herbs.
Arrange the ribs on top of the veggies and herb bundle.
Pour in the beef stock.
Don’t forget the extra cup of beef stock. Alternatively, you could use a cup of water instead.
Next, add the ground up mushroom powder.
Gently stir everything together, just to make sure the mushroom powder isn’t clumping up.
Grate in some fresh nutmeg.
Add the typical pantry staples, such as cayenne, garlic and onion powder, and taste for salt and pepper.
Bring the mixture to a simmer over high heat.
Oh! Don’t forget the bay leaves like I almost did.
Coat them liberally with olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper. Then drizzle a little Worcestershire sauce over them for extra flavor.
The ribs are done, and they should be ridiculously tender.
Transfer the ribs to a plate, and remove the bones.
Grab a ladle or a big ass spoon, and skim off as much fat as you can from the top. It’ll be a considerable amount, so take your time. You won’t be able to get all of it, but try to get as much as you can.
This is how much fat I had leftover, that’s about right.
Bring the leftover braising liquid to a simmer to reduce slightly. This should take about 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the remaining 1/4 cup of marsala wine. Continue to simmer.
Keep simmering.
Next, add the heavy cream.
Stir that around, then reduce the heat to low to continue simmering.
It’s getting happy.
Add the de-boned short ribs back to the pot to soak up that delicious sauce. Continue to simmer them on low heat for another 5 to 10 minutes.
Gratuitously bathe them while they simmer.
Now, you’re done. Give them a taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
The mushrooms are done roasting. They’re gorgeous.
Plate it up and enjoy.
I cannot stress how insanely flavorful this is, because there are no words. These keto short ribs will make you sing all of the praise. You’ve gotta make this dish, immediately.
Check out some other recipes:
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Creamy Beef Short Rib Marsala
- Total Time: 27 hours
- Yield: 6-8 servings
Description
Succulent beef short ribs braised in a creamy marsala wine sauce with tons of meaty mushrooms for added flavor and depth.
Ingredients
- Flaky kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 lbs well marbled bone-in beef short ribs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 lb crimini mushrooms, quartered
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon herbs de provence
- 1 lb crimini mushrooms, quartered
- 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 9 cloves fresh garlic, thinly sliced
- 4 anchovy filets packed in olive oil, minced
- 1 cup marsala wine (not sweet), divided
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme + 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, bundled
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 quart plus 1 cup beef broth (SEE NOTE)
- 1/4 cup dried mushroom powder (SEE NOTE)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (SEE NOTE)
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
Roasted mushroom medley:
- 7oz mixed mushrooms (I used trumpet, beech, and king oyster)
- 6oz sliced portobellos
- 5oz sliced shiitakes
- 1–2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Olive oil
- Flaky kosher salt
- Black pepper
Garnish:
- Flat leaf parsley, minced
- Fresh chives, chopped
Instructions
The day before:
Season your short ribs with an even coating of flaky kosher salt. Place them in a large ziploc bag and refrigerate them for 24 hours.
The day of:
Remove the short ribs from the refrigerator and allow them to come down to room temperature for at least an hour before cooking. Season them again with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large 6 quart dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil is heated (you’ll see light whisps of smoke), sear the short ribs on each side until browned. You may have to do this in batches, so please don’t overcrowd the dutch oven, otherwise they’ll steam instead of brown. Browning can take up to 15 minutes, depending on how many short ribs you have. Transfer browned short ribs to a plate, and set to the side.
- Carefully drain all of the fat left in the bottom of the dutch oven to a heat-proof glass. You should have a good amount of browned bits stuck to the bottom, do not scrape that off. Place the dutch oven back over the heat, but reduce it to medium. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil plus 2 tablespoons of butter, and scrape up the browned bits using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. When the butter is melted, add the quartered Cremini mushrooms. Season with a generous amount of flaky kosher salt and black pepper. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and herbs de provence. Toss to coat, making sure all mushrooms are coated in fat. Try to arrange them in an even layer if possible, and leave them alone so they can release their liquid and brown. This will take about 6 to 8 minutes or so. First, you’ll see a lot of liquid come out, then it will evaporate and the browning process will begin. Once the liquid is evaporated, toss the mushrooms around so they can brown on all sides, about 5-8 minutes longer. When the mushrooms have developed a nice golden brown color on all sides, add the onion and celery. Season with more flaky kosher salt, and toss to combine. Sauté everything until the onions have softened slightly, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add in the minced anchovy filet, and sliced garlic. Cook for another 2 minutes, then pour in 3/4 cup of the marsala wine. Immediately scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan and allow the marsala wine to cook down for about a minute or two.
- Nestle in the rosemary and thyme bundle. Lay the short ribs on top of the mushrooms and aromatics.
- Pour in the quart plus 1 cup of beef stock (or water). Add the dried mushroom powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, freshly grated nutmeg, Worcestershire sauce, and dark soy sauce. Stir everything until smooth. Give it a taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Bring the mixture to a boil. When it starts to boil, cover and place the dutch oven in the preheated oven for 3 hours.
- After 3 hours, remove from the oven and place the covered dutch oven on your stove for about 10 minutes. You want to allow the steam to soften any browned bits that accumulated on the sides of the dutch oven so you can easily scrape all that flavor back into the dish.
- Meanwhile, increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.
- Pile the medley of mushrooms in an even layer on a large baking sheet. Drizzle generously with olive oil, flaky kosher salt, black pepper, and a light drizzle of Worcestershire sauce. Toss to combine and arrange in an even layer. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until mushrooms are golden brown.
- While the mushrooms are roasting, remove the lid from the dutch oven and scrape all that flavor down from the sides of the pot into the dish. Transfer the short ribs to a plate. They should be extremely tender, and the bones should slide out without force. Skim the excess fat off the top of the braising liquid. Try to get as much of it as you can, but don’t worry if some is left behind. Reduce the braising liquid by bringing to a simmer over medium-high heat. Let it reduce for about 8-10 minutes, then pour in the heavy cream and remaining 1/4 cup of marsala wine. Reduce heat to low. Add the short ribs and all accumulated juices back in and let them simmer in the creamy marsala braising liquid for an additional 10 minutes. Give it a taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
- Serve the short ribs in bowls, and garnish with the roasted mushroom medley, parsley, and chives.
- Enjoy.
Notes
If you don’t want to buy a second quart of beef stock to make up for the additional cup needed for this recipe, you can simply substitute water for it.
I make my own mushroom powder by pulverizing dried mushrooms into dust using my Vitamix, coffee grinder, or food processor. If you don’t have access to dried mushrooms or any of these machines, simply leave it out of the recipe.
If you don’t have fresh nutmeg, use an extremely tiny pinch of store-bought ground nutmeg. It’s more finely ground than what you’d get with a microplane, so use a little less so that it doesn’t overpower the dish.
- Prep Time: 24 hours
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: beef, keto
- Method: Braising
Keywords: braised short ribs, marsala short ribs, short rib marsala, keto short ribs
Slap your mama so good. My husband of 8 years said he fell in love with me again!
★★★★★
I made this for dinner with a side of green beans, mashed potatoes and mushroom medley… HOLY MOLYYYYYY! It was AMAZING. This is definitely one for the books! Can’t wait to remake it!
★★★★★
This dish is dreamy creamy deliciousness. I followed the recipe and while a little more time consuming than I anticipated, was well worth the pay off in amazing taste! I love this recipe and it pairs delightfully with the mushrooms. Have shared the recipe with my mother as well-a total keeper!
★★★★★
This recipe is spectacular. It is rich, creamy and delicious, followed the recipe as written. It was slightly more time consuming than I had anticipated but the pay off in the taste is so absolutely worth it.Loevely paired with the mushrooms. I have sent the recipe to my mother as well as it is a keeper. Beautiful dish, better the next day as well.
★★★★★
Hi Chef! Checking to be sure you use 2 lbs of quartered crimini mushrooms? Its listed twice on the recipe and I want to be sure its not a typo before I go buy the ingredients. Thanks!!
This looks amazing! Is there by chance a viable alternative to using mushrooms to build the flavor? I don’t mind the powder but we aren’t fans of mushrooms so would love to replace if I can. Thanks!
This looks great! I dont think i’m allowed to have onions yet (i’m still adjusting to keto!) but once i’ve become fat-adapted i’m definitely making this. Also, thanks for inspiring me to try keto! I saw you post about it on Instagram and decided to research it more. I’ve read a couple books on it and now i’m trying it out so thank you!
So my question is can I place this in the fridge overnight to let the fat congeal and then finish off the next day??
Absolutely
Hi, would this also work well in a crock pot, cooked slow for 10-12 hours? Thanks! I can’t wait to try it