Presalting the short ribs:

Up to three days before preparing the stew, salt the short ribs, using 1 teaspoon sea or Kosher salt per 1 pound/454g  meat. Cover loosely and refrigerate. While optional, this step imbues the meat with flavor. You will use far less, if any, salt at table.

An hour before cooking, take meat from refrigerator and bring to room temperature.

You will need a large skillet and a 4-6 quart/liter oven-proof casserole, ideally enameled cast iron, but whatever you have. Lidded is best. Lacking a lid, use foil.

Preheat the oven to 325F/160C

I prefer browning meat in a separate skillet. That way, if anything burns, it’s easily wiped away. Further, I’ve had bad luck browning in enameled cast iron, and using a metal skillet easier.

Place the casserole on a burner and film it lightly with olive oil. Turn the heat to the lowest setting. Lay the bouquet garni in the bottom of the pot. Add the pork, if using.

Set the skillet on another burner and add a little olive oil. Turn this burner to medium high. You may want to open a window or turn on the exhaust fan.

A splatter screen is helpful here.

Brown the short ribs on all sides.  Depending on the skillet size, you may need to do this in batches. Don’t crowd the pan, and don’t rush. It could take ten minutes per rib.In the photo below, you can see how far I took my short ribs when browning.

Once the meat is browned, transfer it to the casserole.

If there are any burned bits in the skillet, wipe them out carefully with paper towels. Take care not to burn yourself.

Now grab a metal spatula. Add one cup of the red wine to the skillet, crank the burner up, and scrape the bottom of the pan, getting up all that good stuff as the wine reduces.

Okay…now you can add the other cup of wine along with the Armagnac and flame the alcohols with a long kitchen match. If that’s too much of a much, don’t bother. If you do set your  booze afire, for the flames to burn off before…

Adding the onion, garlic, carrots, and tomato paste to the skillet. Stir, allowing the vegetables to cook about five minutes. Add the tomato sauce. Stir. Let this cook down about ten minutes. Taste for seasoning. Remember pork products can be salty.

Meanwhile, add the potatoes to the short ribs.

Add contents of skillet to pot.

Crumple a piece of dampened baking parchment atop the stew, then the lid. Using oven mitts, place pot in the oven. Check after two and half hours. Ribs may need another hour of cooking. They ready when meat is pulling away from bones and fork tender.

Braises and stews improve after an overnight rest in the fridge. Serve with buttered noodles or mashed potatoes, a green salad, and a hard cheese like cheddar.

Notes:

Potatoes: both waxy and starchy types work here; it depends on whether you prefer them to hold together or crumble a bit. Either way is good.

A well-rinsed, dried salted anchovy may be substituted for pork. You won’t taste fish or salt, just flavor.

Chicken broth may replace wine in this dish. Use unsalted chicken or beef broth.

I love this with Amora mustard.