Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs with Parmesan Risotto

Ingredients

Short Ribs
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
2 1/2 to 3 lbs. bone-in beef short ribs
Salt and ground black pepper
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large yellow onion, peeled and cut into thick pieces
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
2 cups dry red wine (such as Cabernet or Pinot Noir)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Risotto
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup Riceland Medium Grain White Rice
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
4-ounce freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. First, prepare the short ribs. In a large stockpot or cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Sprinkle the short ribs liberally with salt and pepper. Add the short ribs to the stockpot and brown 3 to 4 minutes on all sides. Remove short ribs and transfer to a plate.
2. Add the carrots and onion to the stockpot and cook, stirring frequently, 3 to 5 minutes or until carrots and onions are browned. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in the wine, bay leaf and dried thyme.
3. Add short ribs to a slow cooker. Pour wine and vegetable mixture over the ribs. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 to 5 hours or until ribs are very tender and fall apart easily when tested with a fork.
4. During the last 30 minutes of cooking the ribs, prepare the risotto. In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter, stirring frequently. When butter is melted add the rice to the skillet and cook 2 to 3 minutes more or until rice has absorbed most of the butter and mixture is fragrant.
5. Add 1 cup of the broth to the skillet; reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until rice has absorbed most all of the liquid, about 5 minutes. Add second cup of broth to the skillet and repeat process, cooking and stirring until liquid is absorbed, about 7 to 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining two cups of broth, adding one cup at a time. When the rice has absorbed all of the broth, remove from heat and stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
6. To serve, spoon some of the risotto into bowls. Discard bay leaf from short ribs. Top risotto with short ribs, carrots and onions and some of the broth from the slow cooker, if desired.