Yes my little lambies….Root Beer Short Ribs. You can pinch yourself as hard as I did when I came across this recipe and then maybe smack yourself for not thinking of this combo sooner. I mean really right?

This is from Everyday Food reader Shawn Darling (congrats!) and I have to say I wish she would have shared this much sooner because this will be a staple for the fall months for many, many years to come. I actually made this last night up until step three and then completed it tonight. I served the short ribs with their perfect sweet, but not too much, glaze/sauce on top of mashed sweet potatoes as the magazine suggests. For once, and this is rare, I am speechless. I have one last question, “do you have any good sarsaparilla?” Well give me some short ribs their stranger and I’ll show you in about four hours.

Everyday Food, December 2009
Root Beer Short Ribs
Serves 6
Prep time: 25 minutes
Total time: 4 hours4-inch pieces
coarse salt and ground pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more as needed
2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1-inch wedges
3 large celery stalks, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 small carrots, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 head garlic, sliced half crosswise
10 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
1 sprig rosemary
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 whole star anise
3 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
2 cups good-quality root beer

4 1/2 pounds short ribs, cut into

1. Preheat over to 275 degrees. Season ribs generously with salt and pepper. In an 8-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil on high. In batches, brown ribs on all sides, about 20 minutes total. If oil gets too dark during browning, pour off and add more oil (do not wipe pot clean). Transfer ribs to a plate and pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot.

2. Add onions, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, cumin, and star anise. Cook , scraping up any browned bits, until onions soften, 5 minutes. Return ribs to a rapid simmer, cover, and place pot in oven.

3. Cook until meat can be easily pierced with the tip of a pairing knife, about 3 hours. (To store, refrigerate, up to 4 days.) With a slotted spoon, transfer ribs to a large straight-sided skillet. Skim off and discard any fat from cooking liquid. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into skillet; discard solids. Boil over medium-high until liquid is reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Continue to cook, spooning liquid over meat occasionally, until ribs are glazed and sauce is thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.