Equipment
Ingredients
Meat and Searing
- 1500 g bone-in beef short ribs, trimmed of excess fat, cut into individual ribs
- 12 g kosher salt
- 3 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 30 ml neutral cooking oil
Vegetables and Fruit
- 300 g yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 500 g carrots, peeled and cut into 3cm thick rounds
- 500 g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 4cm cubes
- 150 g pitted prunes
Braising Liquid and Spices
- 500 ml beef broth, low sodium
- 150 ml dry red wine
- 60 g honey
- 3 g ground cinnamon
- 2 g ground ginger
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 1266 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbohydrates
- 56 g
- Fat
- 96 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 27 g
- Sodium
- 1316 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 40 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 41 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 190 mg
- Potassium
- 1479 mg
- Calcium
- 113 mg
- Iron
- 5.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 88 mg
- Phosphorus
- 461 mg
- Zinc
- 8.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 1297 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 11 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 29 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 6.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.34 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.49 mg
- Niacin
- 9.0 mg
- Folate
- 50 mcg
- Water
- 416 g
- Alcohol
- 3 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 150 degrees Celsius (300 degrees Fahrenheit). Pat the beef short ribs completely dry with paper towels and season generously on all sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
Heat the neutral oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the short ribs until a deep brown crust forms on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned meat to a plate and leave the rendered fat in the pot.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onions to the residual beef fat. Sauté until softened and beginning to caramelize, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Pour in the red wine or a splash of beef broth to deglaze the pan. Stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon to dissolve all the caramelized fond into the liquid. Allow the liquid to reduce by half.
Return the seared short ribs and their resting juices to the pot. Add the carrots, sweet potatoes, beef broth, honey, cinnamon, and ginger. Stir gently to combine. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer on the stove.
Cover the Dutch oven tightly with its lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 2 hours and 30 minutes, checking once halfway through to ensure the liquid is gently bubbling and adding a splash of water if the stew looks too dry.
Remove the pot from the oven. Carefully stir in the pitted prunes. Return the covered pot to the oven and braise for a final 30 minutes until the meat is completely fork-tender and the sweet potatoes are soft but holding their shape.
Remove the stew from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes. Skim any excess fat that rises to the surface using a large spoon. Serve hot directly from the pot.
Chef's Notes
- Sear meat properly: Do not rush the browning step. The Maillard reaction from deeply searing the short ribs provides the foundational savory backbone that prevents this sweet-leaning stew from tasting like dessert.
- Root vegetable sizing: Carrots handle long braising better than sweet potatoes. Cut your sweet potatoes twice as large as your carrots so they finish cooking at the same time without disintegrating.
- The magic of resting: Like most braises, this dish is exponentially better on the second day. The proteins relax, reabsorb liquid, and the sweet and savory flavor compounds have time to fully meld.
- Taming the fat: Short ribs are notoriously rich. Skimming the fat is not just for health; removing the heavy oil layer allows the subtle spices and sweetness of the broth to shine through on the palate.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Flavors deepen significantly after 24 hours. The fat will solidify on top when chilled, making it easy to skim before reheating.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in an airtight container with liquid covering the meat to prevent freezer burn.
Reheating: Thaw overnight in refrigerator if frozen. Reheat gently in a covered pot over medium-low heat until bubbling and heated through.
Troubleshooting
Meat is tough or chewy
Cause: The short ribs have not cooked long enough to break down the tough connective tissue and collagen.
Fix: Return the pot to the oven or stove and continue braising in 30-minute increments until fork-tender.
Prevention: Allow adequate cooking time; slow-cooking cuts cannot be rushed.
Sweet potatoes dissolved into mush
Cause: Sweet potatoes were cut too small or overcooked.
Fix: Cannot be un-mashed, but they will thicken the broth wonderfully and add excellent flavor.
Prevention: Cut sweet potatoes into large chunks (at least 4cm) so they withstand the long cooking time.
Stew tastes overly sweet
Cause: The natural sugars from the sweet potatoes, prunes, and honey overpowered the savory elements.
Fix: Add a splash of apple cider vinegar or a little more salt to balance the sweetness.
Prevention: Measure honey precisely and balance with sufficient kosher salt.
Cultural Context
Originating in the medieval Ashkenazi Jewish communities of Eastern Europe and Germany, tzimmes is a slow-cooked casserole that balances sweet and savory elements. The dish evolved into a vital celebratory staple for Rosh Hashanah, where sweet ingredients like honey, carrots, and prunes symbolize hopes for a sweet and prosperous new year. Historically, the slow-braising technique was born of necessity, allowing complex flavors to develop overnight in retained-heat ovens to respect Sabbath cooking prohibitions.
