Balsamic beef short ribs with haricot beans and spinach
Serves: 4
Prep time: 25 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Martin Poole
Balsamic beef short ribs with haricot beans and spinach
Beef short ribs are a meltingly tender cut when cooked low and slow. This is a great all-in-one dish that requires minimal effort for maximum results, perfect for a putting-your-feet-up Sunday
Serves: 4
Prep time: 25 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
605Kcal
Fat
23gr
Saturates
8gr
Carbs
30gr
Sugars
15gr
Fibre
8gr
Protein
62gr
Salt
1.2gr
Sarah Akhurst
Our Food Director Sarah is a food obsessive, and spends most of her time scoping out the latest food trends, experimenting in her own kitchen, or making her family wait to eat while she photographs every dinner she makes for the 'gram! A complete Middle Eastern food junkie, she is never far from a good shawarma marinade, a pinch of Aleppo chilli or a sprig of dill
See more of Sarah Akhurst’s recipes
Sarah Akhurst
Our Food Director Sarah is a food obsessive, and spends most of her time scoping out the latest food trends, experimenting in her own kitchen, or making her family wait to eat while she photographs every dinner she makes for the 'gram! A complete Middle Eastern food junkie, she is never far from a good shawarma marinade, a pinch of Aleppo chilli or a sprig of dill
See more of Sarah Akhurst’s recipes
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1.5kg beef short rib
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 400g echalion shallots, peeled and halved lengthways
- 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 2 tsp picked thyme leaves
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 300ml beef stock, made using ½ stock pot or cube
- 300ml pale ale
- 1 x 400g tin haricot beans, rinsed and drained
- 150g young spinach
- mashed potato (dairy-free if required), to serve
Step by step
Get ahead
You can cook the beef the day before and reheat when ready to serve. Cook the recipe without the spinach, cool and then chill. When ready to serve, reheat with a splash of water, adding the spinach for the final 2 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C, fan 150°C, gas 3. Brush the mustard all over the short ribs and season well. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, lidded casserole and sear the beef until browned all over. Remove to a plate.
- Add the remaining oil to the pan and gently fry the shallots for 4 minutes, or until starting to colour. Add the garlic and thyme and continue to cook for 1 minute, then add the balsamic vinegar and sugar. Bubble for a couple of minutes, stirring continuously. Sprinkle over the flour and cook for a couple of minutes, then add in the beef stock and pale ale. Return the short ribs to the pan, with the meaty side submerged in the liquid, then cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 hours.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to the hob. Add the haricot beans and spinach and season well. Cook on a gentle heat until the beans have heated through and the spinach has wilted. Lift the meat from the bones and shred it roughly before returning it to the casserole. Serve with creamy mash.
