Ingredients
Short Ribs
- 2 kg bone-in beef short ribs (4 large pieces)
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (grapeseed or canola)
- 1 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil (replaces 6 garlic cloves — FODMAP swap)
- 1 tbsp onion-infused olive oil (replaces 1 large onion — FODMAP swap)
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 3 celery stalks, roughly chopped (strained out after braising — FODMAP load negligible)
- 33 g tomato paste
- 375 ml dry red wine (such as Shiraz or Cabernet)
- 600 ml Coca-Cola (full sugar, not diet)
- 500 ml beef or veal stock
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
Parsley Persillade Herb Crust
- 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves only (about 60g)
- 40 g gluten-free breadcrumbs (replaces panko — use a certified GF brand)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Zest of ½ lemon
- Pinch of flaky salt
Creamy Parmesan Polenta
- 1 L lactose-free whole milk
- 250 ml water
- 1 tsp salt
- 200 g coarse or medium polenta (not instant)
- 80 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 100 g finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 50 g mascarpone (very low lactose — swap for lactose-free cream cheese if sensitive)
- White pepper, to taste
Braising Sauce (Reduction)
- Reserved braising liquid (strained), approximately 500–700ml
- 14 g cold unsalted butter (to finish)
Method
Braise the Short Ribs
Remove the short ribs from the fridge 1 hour before cooking so they come closer to room temperature — this helps them sear and braise more evenly.
Pat the ribs completely dry with paper towel. Season generously on all sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until the oil is shimmering and just beginning to smoke.
Sear the short ribs in batches — don't crowd the pot. Cook 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned and crusted on all sides. This crust is the foundation of your sauce flavour, so resist the urge to rush. Set ribs aside on a tray.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the carrots and celery to the same pot. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to colour at the edges. (Onion and garlic are replaced below with infused oils for FODMAP — the aromatics here do the structural work.)
Add 1 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil and 1 tbsp onion-infused olive oil and stir through the vegetables — this is where the allium flavour comes in, without the fructans.
Add the tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until it darkens to a deep rust colour and smells rich and slightly caramelised.
Pour in the red wine and scrape up all the browned bits from the base of the pot — this is deglazing, and those bits are pure flavour. Let the wine reduce by half, about 5 minutes.
Add the Coca-Cola, beef stock, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Nestle the short ribs back into the pot — they should be mostly submerged in liquid. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Braise for 4–4.5 hours, turning the ribs once at the halfway mark (about 2 hours in). The meat is ready when it is completely tender, yielding to a gentle prod, and pulling away from the bone — you want it at the point of near pull-apart without fully collapsing.
Carefully lift the ribs out and set aside on a tray, loosely covered with foil. Strain the braising liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a saucepan, pressing the solids firmly to extract every drop. Discard the solids. Skim the fat from the surface of the strained liquid.
Reduce the Sauce
Bring the strained braising liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat.
Reduce for 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is glossy, coats the back of a spoon thickly, and has an intense savoury-sweet depth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt.
Just before serving, take the saucepan off the heat and whisk in 14 g cold butter — this gives the sauce a glossy, restaurant-style sheen. Keep warm over the lowest possible heat.
Make the Persillade Herb Crust
In a food processor, combine the parsley leaves, gluten-free breadcrumbs, olive oil, lemon zest, and a pinch of flaky salt. (Garlic is omitted here — the garlic-infused oil in the braise carries that note through the dish.)
Pulse in short bursts until you have a coarse, vibrantly green crumb. Stop before it becomes a paste — you want visible texture.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside at room temperature until you're ready to plate.
Make the Creamy Polenta
Combine the lactose-free milk, water, and 1 tsp salt in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer — you'll see small bubbles breaking the surface.
Gradually whisk in the polenta in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly as you pour to prevent lumps forming.
Reduce the heat to low. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir frequently for 35–45 minutes. The polenta is ready when it is thick, creamy, and no longer feels grainy against the spoon. Add a splash of extra lactose-free milk or water if it gets too stiff before it's cooked through.
Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and mascarpone until fully melted and the polenta is silky and rich. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm. (Stir in a splash of lactose-free milk when reheating if making ahead.)
Finish & Serve
Preheat your grill (broiler) to high.
Place the short ribs on a foil-lined baking tray. Spoon a generous, even layer of persillade crust onto the top surface of each rib and press gently so it adheres.
Slide under the hot grill for 2–3 minutes until the crust is just set and the edges are very lightly crisped. Watch closely — you want the parsley to stay bright green and vibrant, not brown.
To serve in the separated, build-your-own style: bring the pot of polenta, the ribs on their tray, and the sauce in a small jug or bowl to the table separately so everyone can plate their own. For a more composed plate, spoon polenta into a mound slightly off-centre, place one rib alongside, and pool the glossy sauce around the base. Serve immediately.
