Slow Cooker Chianti-Braised Short Ribs

I have been hanging on to this particular recipe for what seems like a lifetime.  This week the fancy struck me to actually make the recipe.  Below is the original recipe and I will discuss my additions/subtractions at the end.

Slow Cooker Chianti Braised Short Ribs

from Rachel Ray

Ingredients

8 beef short ribs on the bone (4 to 5 pounds)
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups chianti wine
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon tomato paste

Steps

1.  Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the ribs and cook, turning often, until browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large slow cooker.
2.  Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon fat from the skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until slightly softened, about 4 minutes.
3.  Stir in the wine and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker and cook on low heat until tender, about 6 hours.
4.  Transfer the ribs to a platter and cover to keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid into a large measuring cup and skim as much fat as possible from the surface. Transfer to a saucepan, bring to a boil and cook until reduced to about 1 cup. Whisk in the tomato paste and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce over the ribs.

The Final Product

The ribs turned out quite tender.  It was a tasty dish.  I was unable to find bone in short ribs so I used boneless.  I had about 6 ribs that amounted to about 2.5 pounds.  To cut down on chopping, I threw in a 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes.  I also started this late, so in the rush of hunger I forgot to add in the tomato paste to the cooking liquid.  I don't think it was a major detractor.  It was quite a yummy au jus instead.  I paired it with some fried polenta - simple to make.  Get a prepared roll of polenta.  Slice into 1/2 inch pieces and fry in a pan with a little bit of butter.  Delish!