‘Tis the season to create this cheesy dish, whether it be for the Thanksgiving table or a regular Thursday dinner! This Short Rib Mac and Cheese matches perfectly with a crisp glass of Burgundy red wine, which is also a well-known pairing for turkey.
Ingredients:
- 2½ lbs beef short ribs
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1-2 tbsp neutral oil like avocado or canola
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 cup red wine
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 lb pasta like macaroni or cavatappi
- 4 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 12 oz sharp cheddar, grated
- 4 oz Gruyere, grated
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 4 oz grated parmesan cheese
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 250ºF. Salt and pepper the short ribs on all sides.
- In a medium pan over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add short ribs and brown on all sides. Transfer to an oven-safe baking dish. Then, add the stock, wine, garlic, and thyme. Wrap the dish with aluminum foil and put into the oven for 4 hours. After it’s cooked, remove from oven to let cool.
- As the short ribs are cooling, make the macaroni and cheese. In a medium pot over high heat, generously salt water and bring to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside to let cool.
- In the same pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, add flour to create a roux and whisk any lumps away. Continue whisking and cooking the roux for 2-3 minutes. Slowly add milk and continue whisking to ensure a smooth sauce. Cook to thicken, whisking often until consistency is similar to pudding.
- Once thickened, add the cheddar, gruyere, and a generous amount of black pepper. Stir until the cheese has melted, then remove from heat. Add the cooked pasta and mix to coat with the cheese sauce. Transfer into a casserole and set aside until the short ribs are ready, increasing the oven to 350ºF.
- Once the short ribs have cooled enough to handle, pick the meat and add to the macaroni casserole, mixing together. Sprinkle breadcrumbs and Parmesan over top. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes until bubbly and the top is golden. Serve warm.
Grab a few bottles from our upcoming Weekly Tasting, Burgundy Beauties: Pinot & Chardonnay, and try out this unique take on mac and cheese this holiday season!