The appeal of braised comfort

Braise enough roast, any roast, on Sunday and dinner is made ahead for at least a three weeknights. First night: sliced thin or pulled with reduced braising liquid served over pureed potatoes, parsnips, and apples. Second night: quick beef and barley soup made with a carton of stock and a handful of vegetables. Third night: the final bits of meat and reduction spiced up with cumin and chili powder tucked into taco shells with cheese, pickled vegetables, and avocado.

Short-ribs used to be an affordable cut, but as it goes with everything that speaks to our comfort-gauges, short-ribs became priced out of my budget. When I finally discovered the grass-fed short-ribs from Seward Co-op in Minneapolis a whole new world of fairly-priced and flavorful options helped ring the dinner bell.

At Called to the Table today is an easy recipe for stout-braised short ribs. The sauce marries sweet (stout, maple, and apple) and savory, and I'm anxious to try it with other inexpensive roasts.