Fig Braised Beef Short Ribs Recipe

Fig Braised Beef Short Ribs Recipe

Short ribs & a glass of red - an unforgettable pairing.
The Girl & The Fig is a must visit restaurant in Sonoma. Located in the beautiful Sonoma Plaza, it's style is 'Country Food with a French Passion.' If you can't make it to the restaurant, the next best thing is to make this signature dish, the fig-braised beef short ribs. Pair it alongside a glass of our 2021 Cabernet Franc or 2018 Los Cuatro and it will be a meal to remember!

Ingredients

For the Marinade: 

  • 6 short ribs (10 oz. each, boneless)
  • 2 tablespoons sliced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
  • ½ cup red wine
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon tamari
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

For the Sauce: 

  • salt & pepper
  • 4 tablespoons blended oil
  • 3 celery stalks, medium dice
  • 1 carrot, peeled, medium dice
  • 2 medium onions, medium dice
  • 3 Roma tomatoes, rough chop
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 8 cups veal stock
  • 2 cups diced black mission figs
  • 1 bouquet garni

Preparation

Serves: 6 people
For the marinade:
Mix together garlic, salt, pepper, herbs, ½ cup red wine, ½ cup oil, tamari and Worcestershire. Pour over ribs and marinate for at least 12 hours.

For the sauce:
Remove ribs from marinade, scrape excess items off and pat dry.  Season with salt & pepper. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat, sear short ribs on all sides until heavily browned. Remove from pan and place in a braising pot.

Add carrots, onions, celery to pan used for searing ribs, and cook over medium heat until vegetables are caramelized.  Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Deglaze with red wine and reduce by half.  Add to braising pan with 8 cups of veal stock and bring to a simmer. Add figs, and bouquet garni, cover and place pan in oven and roast for 4 hours, or until ribs are fork tender. Remove ribs from oven, and let them cool to room temperature. Remove ribs from sauce, strain sauce, before returning to pan over medium heat. Reduce sauce by half and add ribs back to heat through.

Wine Pairing Suggestions

2021 Cabernet Franc

Our Double Gold winner, the 2021 Cabernet Franc, is our pick to pair with this flavorful beef short ribs dish. The dark berry flavours mirror the figs’ sweetness, while notes of pepper, cinnamon and tobacco complement the rich, slow-cooked beef. Its bright acidity cuts through the fat, and the smooth tannins add just enough structure, with a hint of espresso tying into the dish’s deep, caramelised finish.

2018 Los Cuatro

If you prefer a Red Blend, we highly recommend our Best of Class winner, the 2018 Los Cuatro. Its rich dark fruit - black cherry, blackberry and currant - plays beautifully with the sweetness of the figs, while notes of molasses and chocolate echo the dish’s deep, slow-cooked richness. The touch of dried sage and chicory adds a savory edge that complements the beef, and the wine’s balanced structure and dry finish help cut through the richness, keeping each bite full but never heavy.

*Recipe from The Girl & The Fig, Sonoma

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