Community Cookbook: Sereneco’s Braised Short Ribs

Greenpoint’s Sereneco (113 Franklin St.) has charmed the neighborhood with its seasonally-inspired menu and greenery-clad design.

The restaurant’s chef Dennis Hong has shared his recipe for one of Sereneco’s most popular entrees, the Braised Short Ribs. 

Enjoy the hearty short ribs on a Tuesday, when Sereneco offers live jazz starting at 6:30 PM, or another weekday when the restaurant offers happy hour prices on appetizers and drinks from 5 PM to close Monday through Thursday. The short ribs would pair nicely with a glass of natural red wine or Sereneco’s popular whipped ricotta, both only $10 during these times. 

See the recipe for Sereneco’s Braised Short Ribs below, and find last week’s Community Cookbook recipe here.

Components of Braised Short Ribs Final Dish

Makes 1 portion

Short Ribs (see recipe below)

Baby carrot and pearl onion accompaniment (see recipe below)

0.75 cup of Kennebec mash (see recipe below)

Gremolata (lemon zest and 1/4 cup of coursely chopped parsley leaves)

Braised Short Rib Ingredients

12 ounces of boneless short rib

1 carrot

1 celery stalk

1 large Spanish onion, cut in half first then quartered

4 cloves of garlic, cut in half with the peel

1 bundle of thyme

2 fresh bay leaves

1/4 cup of tomato paste

2 cups of red wine (Sereneco recommends fruitier wine such as pinot noir)

1 quart of chicken stock

Short Rib Directions

1. Cut carrot, celery and onion into 1.5″ x 1.5″ dice. (The size does not need to be perfect. Measurement is used to give you the best idea.)

2. Remove excess fat from the short rib with a knife and season with salt and pepper on both sides.

3. Heat a rondeau pan on high heat until the pan is fairly hot (30 seconds on high flame). Sear top and bottom sides of the meat until the meat is golden brown. Set aside.

4. On the same pan, drain the excess fat and roast the carrot, celery, onion, garlic until golden brown.

5. Put seared meat, roasted vegetables, aromatics (thyme & bay leaf), red wine, tomato paste (combine with equal amount of chicken stock and mix until smooth beforehand), and chicken stock into a braising pan (this can be anything from pot to hotel pan). 

6. Cover the braising pan with aluminum foil and braise at 350 F until tender. It will take about 1 hour and 30 minutes. (Make sure to check the tenderness and cook longer as needed. The time will take longer if you do a higher volume.)

Baby Carrot and Pearl Onion Ingredients

3 pieces of baby carrots

5 pieces of pearl onions

Baby Carrot and Pearl Onion Directions

1. Put baby carrots and pearl onions in a separate pot and combine with a couple sprigs of thyme and bay leaves.

2. Gently simmer until they are tender.

Kennebec Mash Ingredients

– 1 Kennebec potato

– 2 tablespoons of butter

– 1/4 cup of heavy cream

– 0.5 ram of nutmeg, grated 

Kennebec Mash Directions

1. Peel and cut the potato into quarters.

2. Put it into a small pot and bring it to a simmer. Make sure water is seasoned with salt.

3. When the potato is cooked until fork-tender (it should almost crumble itself), place it onto a tray with a paper towel for 30 seconds.

4. Mash the potato while it is hot and combine with all of other ingredients.

5. Season again with salt and pepper at the end. 

Final Directions

Lastly, put the Kennebec mash on a plate, followed by the cooked short ribs, baby carrots, pearl onions, and gremolata, and enjoy!