From The Bear · 2022-2026 · Reconstructed
Sydney's Cola-Braised Short Ribs and Risotto
Serve when
Serve when Sydney's dish starts to become the thing everyone notices: cozy, ambitious, and just a little risky.
In the series
Season 1
- S1E6 · ~00:14:00 Sydney develops cola-braised short ribs with risotto while trying to prove the restaurant can become more than The Beef
- S1E7 · ~00:02:00 A review praises Sydney's short ribs and risotto, turning the dish into fuel for an already-overloaded service
Hosting notes
This is a make-ahead hero dish. The ribs get better overnight, and chilling lets you remove fat cleanly. The only fussy party step is risotto, so assign one person to stir and another to plate.
In the series
Sydney's short ribs are the first-season argument for what The Beef could become. The dish is comforting enough to belong to the family restaurant and polished enough to hint at the restaurant Sydney and Carmy keep imagining.
Ingredients
- For the short ribs:
- For the risotto:
Method
- Season the short ribs well with salt and pepper. Sear them in oil in a Dutch oven until deeply browned on every side, then move them to a plate.
- Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to the pot and cook until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it darkens slightly.
- Pour in the red wine and scrape up the browned bits. Add the cola, beef stock, thyme, and bay leaves, then return the ribs to the pot.
- Cover and braise at 325 F until the meat is fork-tender and starting to pull from the bone, about 3 hours. Chill overnight if you can, then lift off the hardened fat.
- Rewarm the ribs in their liquid. Strain and reduce the liquid until glossy, then whisk in butter and a splash of sherry vinegar.
- For the risotto, cook the shallot in butter, add the rice, and toast for a minute. Add the white wine and stir until absorbed.
- Add warm stock a ladle at a time, stirring often, until the rice is creamy and just tender. Fold in Parmigiano-Reggiano and adjust the salt.
- Spoon risotto into shallow bowls, top with a short rib, and finish with the reduced cola braising sauce.
Substitutions
- Cola: Coca-Cola gives the dish its show-specific wink and its caramel sweetness. Any full-sugar cola works. Diet cola tastes thin and can turn bitter when reduced, so use a splash of balsamic and a teaspoon of brown sugar in stock if you need a no-cola route.
- Short ribs: Bone-in ribs are best for gelatin and sauce body. Boneless short ribs work, but start checking earlier. Chuck roast cut into large pieces is the budget swap.
- Arborio or carnaroli: Arborio is easier to source. Carnaroli holds its shape a bit better for guests. Sushi rice can become creamy in an emergency, but rinse it lightly and expect a softer texture.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano: Pecorino Romano is saltier and sharper. Domestic Parmesan is fine for a party risotto if you grate it fresh.
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