Braised Beef Short Rib on Gorgonzola Cauliflower Chia Cakes

I am so excited to share this recipe with you for Braised Beef Short Rib and I’m going to serve it to you on a Gorgonzola Cauliflower Chia Cake.  I know that’s a mouthful, but hear me out; I promise it’s delicious.  I’ve been serving the Braised Beef Short Rib part of this recipe to my guests for years.  It’s a winner every time, both before and after I keto-fied it 5 years ago.  The Gorgonzola Cauliflower Chia Cake is the new addition.  But really, it’s the perfect complement to the short rib.  Then I top it all off with a wine reduction sauce from the braising liquid.  

There are a number of ways you can serve the Braised Beef Short Rib.  Gnocchi in a gorgonzola cream sauce makes a great non-keto option.  However, I did want to make this low carb and I really wanted what I’ll call a “composed dish.”  You know the prettily plated dish that you get in a nice restaurant where each component can technically stand alone, but is really meant to be part of the whole dish.  The complementary flavors balance each other and make the dish more than the sum of its parts.  

I do realize I’m likely getting a bit too deep for a recipe intro, but I’m really just so excited to share this creation.

The reality is that most of the time, I make menus that have individual components for the main and side dishes.  This allows me to have variety in what I’m offering and to balance out the effort required to get everything ready.  For example, I’ll often do a more involved side or two with a super simple main or vice versa.  While everything is meant to loosely go together, none of the dishes “require” each other.  You don’t need to try a bite of all of the components together to get the full effect.  Those menus are a great staple of my everyday life.  

This dish is different.  The components can be enjoyed separately.  However, they are really meant to go together.  

I also had a really good time with the presentation of this dish for our Cat Boys’ First Birthday Party.  I used a paw-shaped cookie cutter to cut the mock risotto cakes, then cubed the short rib into small pieces to place on top.  After that we drizzled on the wine reduction sauce.  It hit all the right notes for both a human dish as well as what I envision the idealized form of a fancy cat’s meal to be as well.  

Continue reading to see how to put it together. 

What You Need

Equipment

• For the Braised Beef Short Rib
  • Cutting Board
  • Chef’s Knife
  • Rimmed Baking Sheet
  • Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Measuring Cups
  • Paper Towels
  • Dutch Oven
  • Tongs
  • Rubber Scraper or Other Stirring Utensil
  • Airtight Container
• For the Wine Reduction Sauce
  • Fine Mesh Strainer
  • Large Bowl
  • Gravy Separator (Optional)
  • Large Saucepan / Saucier
  • Whisk
  • Measuring Spoon
  • Rubber Scraper
• For the Gorgonzola Cauliflower Chia Cakes
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Measuring Cups
  • Large Skillet or Sauté Pan
  • Rubber Scraper or Other Stirring Utensil
  • Large Heat Resistant Mixing Bowl
  • Medium Mixing Bowl
  • Rimmed Baking Sheet
  • Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil
  • Parchment Paper
  • Cooking Spray
  • Cookie Cutter – Either 3-inch round or a similarly sized shape (like a paw print)

Ingredients

• For the Rub for the Short Ribs:
  • Swerve Brown – Or Sukrin Gold or other brown sugar substitute of your choice
  • Paprika – Either Smokey Spanish or Sweet Hungarian
  • Curry Powder – I’ve used many variations of sweet, hot, or mild.  Pick whichever suits your preference. 
  • Ground Cumin
  • Ground Black Pepper
  • Kosher Salt
  • Dry Mustard

• For Cooking the Short Ribs:
  • Avocado Oil – For searing the short ribs and cooking the onions and garlic.
  • Beef Short Ribs – Get English Cut if you can.  If this is the primary food you are serving, I usually go with 2 bones per person.  I’m going slightly under that here due to the heft of the cauliflower chia cakes and there being other food on the menu. With the other ingredient quantities listed here, you should still have plenty of sauce for a larger amount of ribs should you so choose.  Your biggest constraint if you scale this up further will be space in the Dutch oven or other cooking vessel.  For really large groups, I typically split the liquid and aromatics across two to three cooking vessels, depending on what size I’m working with.  
  • Onions – You can do a very rough chop on these.  They’re there for flavor but get strained out before making the sauce, so they don’t need to be pretty.
  • Garlic – I typically use the pre-minced these days for convenience.  However, if you prefer to use whole cloves, you can just peel them, cut off the very tips and give them a quick crush with the flat of your knife.  As with the onions, they’re there for flavor; and the solids will get strained out at the end.  
  • Red Wine – You’ll use 1 whole bottle for the full quantity.  I typically use Pinot Noir.  Most recently I used this easily findable one from Robert Mondavi.  
  • Beef Broth – You may need less than the stated quantity, as it is really to top up the liquid.  
  • Whole Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary – No need to remove the leaves and / or mince it.  These too will be strained out at the end after they’ve done their job. 
  • Bay Leaves

• For the Wine Reduction Sauce:
  • Xanthan Gum

• For the Gorgonzola Cauliflower Chia Cake:
  • Kosher Salt
  • Ground Black Pepper
  • Paprika
  • Cumin
  • Curry
  • Dry Mustard
  • Eggs – I use jumbo as long as I can find them.  
  • Chia Seeds – It doesn’t matter if they are black chia seeds or white chia seeds.  
  • Avocado Oil – This is just for cooking the cauliflower rice at the beginning
  • Cauliflower Rice – I use 3 bags to fill a rimmed baking sheet that’s technically a “half-size sheet pan” to about a 1-inch thickness.  Depending on the brand you find, the bags typically range from 10 ounces to 12 ounces.  Use 3 bags of whichever size in that range you can find.
  • Broth or Stock – If you want to make your own, try my Homemade Chicken+ Broth.
  • Dry White Wine – I typically either use a Fume Blanc or a Pinot Grigio.
  • Heavy Cream
  • Gorgonzola – Get the already crumbled version if you can.  As a note, I know that stronger cheeses like this can be divisive.  However, I will say that in this dish, it’s a complementary note and not an overpowering flavor.  

Getting Started with Making Braised Beef Short Rib on Gorgonzola Cauliflower Chia Cakes

I know this looks like a lot, but we’re going to break it down so that you can work in stages and assemble at the end if that works best for you.  Because there are several “food resting” steps in this recipe, it works well for advanced prep.  It is actually a way better candidate for making in advance than you might suspect.  

Prep Work

First of all get the spices mixed and out of the way for both the beef dry rub and cauliflower rice.  

Braised Beef Dry Rub

Make the Beef Dry Rub by combining ⅓ cup Swerve Brown, 1.5 tablespoons Paprika, 1 tablespoon Curry Powder, 1 tablespoon Ground Cumin, 1 tablespoon Ground Black Pepper, 1 tablespoon Kosher Salt, and 1.5 teaspoons Dry Mustard.  Mix it well and set it aside.  

Cauliflower Rice Spices

Since you’re using most of the same spices for the cauliflower rice, we’ll put those together too so that we can put the spice bottles away and not have to mess with them again.  For this one, combine ¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt, ¾ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper, ¾ teaspoon Paprika, ¾ teaspoon Cumin, ¾ teaspoon Curry, and ¾ teaspoon Dry Mustard.  Mix it well and set it aside.  

Making the Braised Beef Short Rib

Since the beef needs a long, low braise and then a fairly long resting period, we’re going to get that going next.  

Prepping and Rubbing the Beef

First we want to remove any excess moisture from the beef by patting them dry with paper towels.  I like to do this by lining a rimmed baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil and then a layer of paper towels.  Typically, I’ll lay out the short ribs on the paper towels and use another one to press down gently and blot them dry.  

Once the short ribs are dried, you can just discard the paper towels and set the beef back on the foil-lined sheet.  

Take the spice mix that you just made for it and thoroughly rub it on all sides of the beef.  

Now I like to let the beef sit for 30 – 60 minutes in the fridge before I start cooking them.  If you have the space, just move the sheet pan straight into the fridge.  If you don’t, you can just put the short ribs into a plastic zip top bag, seal it and stash it in the fridge.  

While the beef is chilling, it’s a good time to get the supplies you’ll need for the rest of the beef cooking in place.  

Get out your Dutch oven if you have one.  If you don’t, you can use any other oven safe casserole dish with high sides.  You’re going to be adding a good amount of liquid, so I really recommend the high sides rather than trying to do this in a normal 9×13” casserole dish.  

For the other ingredients, roughly chop 1.5 onions and set them aside.  Measure out 1 tablespoon of minced garlic or give a quick smash to about 6 cloves and set them aside.  

Open the bottle of red wine. (I typically use Pinot Noir for this recipe.)  Get out the beef stock and have a large (1 quart) measuring cup next to it.  Get out 2 – 3 sprigs of Fresh Rosemary and 3 Bay Leaves.  Put everything in easy reach of the stove top where you’ll be starting to cook.  

Cooking the Beef Short Ribs

Preheat the oven to 250°F.  

First, we’ll sear the beef by heating approximately 2 tablespoons of avocado oil (or regular olive oil) in your Dutch Oven over medium high heat.  (Note: If you are going to be using high sided casserole dishes instead, do this step in a large sauté pan.)  Sear the short ribs on all sides (don’t forget the ends) to form a nice brown crust.  You may need to work in batches to prevent overcrowding.  Set the seared beef on a plate or back on the foil lined baking sheet if that’s what you just took them off of.  

Add a little more oil if needed and then toss in chopped onions.  Cook them until they soften.  Then add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and cook for another 30 – 60 seconds, until fragrant.  

Pour in 1 bottle of Red Wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits from the bottom.  Add in the 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary and 3 bay leaves.  Return the meat to the pan / pot.  Add beef broth to top up the liquid until it just about reaches the top of the meat.  

Place the lid on the Dutch oven or high sided casserole dish and move it into the oven.  Allow it to cook in the oven for 4 hours at 250°F.  

Chilling and Cutting the Beef Short Ribs

Once the time is up, remove the cooking vessel from the oven.  Check the meat.  It should pretty much fall off of the bone with the lightest pressure from a fork.  

Remove the meat from the liquid and allow it to cool completely.  Then place it in the refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight (preferred).  This chilling step really helps with both texture and allows more time for the flavors to meld.  If you serve it right now, it will still be delicious, but the beef will pretty much definitely fall apart because it’s so tender.  Chilling will allow you to easily cut it into cubes for amazing morsels that we’ll so prettily plate later.  (I’ll tell you how to reheat everything in the last step.)

Creating the Wine Reduction Sauce

Preparing the Wine Reduction Sauce

Now that the meat has been evacuated, we’re going to pour the remaining liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl.  You can discard the solids (i.e., the remnants of onion, garlic, bay leaves, and rosemary).  

Removing the Solids and the Fat Layer

In an ideal world, I will tell you to allow the liquid to cool to room temperature and then to move it to the fridge.  Allow it to sit for 1 – 2 hours until a fat disk forms on the top.  Then you can just remove the fat disk and have only the flavorful liquid remaining.  

In the less than ideal real world, I often do not have time for chilling the liquid for a super easy fat disk removal.  So, here are my other ways of getting rid of the layer of fat on the top.  

• Method 1: Use a gravy separator if you have one. 
• Method 2: Spoon off what you can and then use paper towels to sop up the rest.  Let the paper towels do most of the work.  The spooning part is a time-suck with minimal benefit.  I know this sounds like a bit of a mess.  But when time is of the essence, it works.  

Cooking it Down

Once you have just the nice, flavorful liquid remaining, pour it into a large saucepan.  Heat it over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until it has reduced by about half.  

While whisking vigorously, sprinkle in ¼ teaspoon of the Xanthan Gum.  Keep stirring and checking the thickness.  Add up to another ¼ teaspoon, stopping when it reaches your desired consistency.  I like the sauce to coat the back of a spoon.  Remove from the heat.  

Storing the Wine Reduction Sauce

To store the sauce for plating at the end, allow it to cool completely.   Then transfer it to an airtight container and store in the fridge.  We’ll cover reheating this in the final step as well. 

Preparing the Gorgonzola Cauliflower Chia Cakes

Getting Everything in Place

You already have your spices blended, so just get everything else measured out and you’ll be set to start.  

For the liquids, you’ll need 1.5 cups of chicken stock or broth, ¾ cup of dry white wine, and ¾ cup heavy cream.  For the cheese, you need 16 ounces of crumbled gorgonzola.  After measuring, put these all in easy reach of the stovetop where you’ll be cooking.  The first part is slow, but the end goes pretty fast, so you really want everything at hand. 

In a medium mixing bowl, beat 6 eggs.  Then stir in ¾ cup of Chia Seeds.  Mix well, making sure they are completely submerged in the liquid.  Set this aside, so the chia seeds have time to absorb the liquid.  

Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil and parchment paper.  Spray the parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray.  In case it’s not obvious, you REALLY want these cakes to come off of the pan.  

Cooking the Cauliflower Rice Mock Risotto

Heat 1 tablespoon of avocado oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat.  Pour in 3 bags of cauliflower rice, stirring it around to break up any big clumps.  Stir in the spice mix you already prepared plus 1.5 cups of chicken broth or stock and ¾ cup of dry white wine.  Keep stirring so that the spices and liquid are evenly distributed throughout the cauliflower rice.  Allow the mixture to cook until all of the liquid has been absorbed, stirring occasionally.  About 15 to 20 minutes.  

Pour in ¾ cup of heavy cream and all 16 ounces of crumbled gorgonzola cheese.  Stir until the cheese is melted.  Remove the mixture from the heat and transfer to a heat safe bowl or dish so it can cool.  At this point you have a very tasty cauliflower rice mock risotto.  

Creating Cauliflower Chia Cakes

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

Allow the cauliflower rice mock risotto mixture to cool to just about 90°F.  Then stir in the chia seed and egg mixture.  Thoroughly combine so that you have a completely homogeneous batter.  

Pour the cauliflower-chia-egg mixture into the prepared, parchment lined and sprayed baking sheet.  Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until set.  

Storing and Reheating the Cauliflower Chia Cakes

Allow the cauliflower-chia cake to cool.  

Use a 3-4” cookie cutter to cut out patties.  (I used one shaped like a paw for my cat-themed dinner party.)  Alternatively, you could just cut squares from the sheet pan, such as a 3 by 4 grid.  You can either serve immediately or store for later.  For this dish, I’m going to assume that you are assembling the dish later.  In that case, allow them to cool completely and then store them in the fridge in an airtight container.  The reheating instructions are below.

Assembling the Final Dish

Cubing the Beef Short Ribs

Remove the chilled beef from the fridge and cut it into ~1.5-inch chunks.  Place the cubes in an oven-safe dish, like a casserole dish and cover it with aluminum foil.  

Reheating the Components

Turn the oven on “warm” which for my oven is 180°F.

Pour the wine reduction sauce into an oven safe bowl and cover it with aluminum foil as well. 

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray.  Lay out the Gorgonzola Cauliflower Chia Cakes in a single layer and place in the “warm” oven (180°F) for 15 – 20 minutes.  Break up any of the “extra” edge / scrap pieces from when you used the cookie cutter into rough 2-inch chunks.  Place them in a casserole dish, cover them with aluminum foil, and heat them as well.  

Place the foil covered dish of cubed beef and the foil covered bowl of sauce in the oven and allow to warm up for 10-15 minutes.  

Plating

First lay a Gorgonzola Cauliflower Rice Cake on the plate.  Then place several cubes of short rib on top of the cake.  Drizzle both with the wine reduction sauce.  If this is the primary entrée you are serving, I suggest starting with 2 little “towers” of cauli-chia cake, short rib, and sauce on each plate.  

If you would like to give your guests flexibility if they want seconds, you can set out the components side-by-side.  Use the casserole dish of broken up cauliflower-chia cake pieces for this purpose.  

Related Recipes

If you’re looking for some other ideas to put on your menu with this Braised Beef Short Rib on Cauliflower Chia Cakes, check out my Cat Boys’ First Birthday Party page for suggestions. 

In the event you are interested in some similarly themed dishes, you’ll want to take a look at these: 

• Honey Mustard Salmon Bites on Cheddar Creole Cauliflower Chia Cakes
• Mini Chicken Meatloaf on 3 Cheese and Spinach Cauliflower Chia Cakes