Spicy, savory and sweet, these braised pumpkin short ribs are the absolute embodiment of fall and just spooky enough for my favorite holiday, Halloween
Fall is my absolute favorite season, for a large handful of reasons that I’m sure are extremely cliche. The weather is finally perfect for bundling up, all my cozy sweaters are making their appearances out of my closet, and fall is the perfect time for hot chocolate and cuddling (what could be better than that?). I’ll admit summer has fall beat on bounties of fresh herbs and vegetables, but fall has its share of more hearty crops like kale, apples, and of course pumpkins and squash. And instead of fresh herbs, fall has that flair of warm and cozy spices and slightly sweet flavors; cinnamon, nutmeg, maple, and even a kick of chipotle – all of which are embodied in this braised pumpkin short ribs recipe.
But what’s on the top of my reasons to love fall list? My (second) favorite holiday, Halloween, with all its cozy spookiness and fun scares.These pumpkin short ribs are my absolute go-to for Halloween cuisine, for two main reasons. Number one, Halloween’s best friend and favorite veggie: pumpkin. Not only all those warm pumpkin spices present in these pumpkin short ribs, but there are actual pieces of tender and rich pumpkin as well. And just in case pumpkin doesn’t shout Halloween loud enough for you, fall off the bone tender meat will really hammer it home. Because honestly, what’s more Halloween than bones?
This pumpkin short ribs recipe may seem to have a lot of ingredients, but most of them are just all of those warm toasty spices used to really bump up that pumpkin flavor that everyone knows and loves about the fall. Of course I used some pretty traditional warm spices, but don’t be afraid to play around with what you use. You don’t have to be limited to the spices or amounts I have listed here; use anything that you might add to a pumpkin pie and use as much or as little as you like. Feel free to try your broth half way through cooking and season as you see fit. If you don’t like things as spicy, don’t use as much chipotle powder, or if you like a little more sweet with your savory, throw in a bit more maple syrup. As long as it tastes like fall to you, you’re doing it right.
Liberal salt and peppering the short ribs on the left; on the right that is the color you’re looking for from your sear!
Besides getting the spices perfect, this pumpkin short ribs recipe is actually incredible easy. The absolute hardest part (at least in my opinion) is just breaking down and cutting up the pumpkin into cubes. I actually had to bake my pumpkin a bit first to get the skin soft enough to cut into. The next steps are far simpler. Sear your short ribs to develop all of that flavorful caramelization on the outside, and then sauté garlic and onions for even more flavor. Add in all those herbs and spices along with your pumpkin, short ribs, and of course cooking liquid – I use beef stock and pumpkin ale just to really reinforce those spicy flavors – and throw it in the oven to cook. Check on it maybe once or twice just to be sure that your liquid isn’t reducing too much – add a little more stock if needed – and that your spices are all working the way you want them to.
As with any recipe, and especially with any recipe that I make, there are of course a few spins on these pumpkin short ribs that you can use to perfect them to your taste, preferences, or even the ease of making them. To make things a tiny bit easier and quicker, you can use canned pumpkin purée instead of fresh pumpkin. It will still give you that pumpkiny flavor and save you a bit of time and effort, but I much prefer fresh pumpkin since you get those nice tender chunks that have absorbed all of the tasty broth. Another alternative is to use squash (butternut or acorn are good choices) instead of pumpkin. Another fantastic spin on this recipe is actually a vegetarian version. Instead of including short ribs at all, use all the same spices and techniques to braise only pumpkin or squash, maybe with a few extra veggies thrown in there as well. You’ll have a hearty and flavorful fall meal that even meat eaters will love.
But my obsolete favorite spin on this meal? The fact that it can be not only be coked the day of serving but also the day before instead, chilled down and then reheated just before serving, leaving you all of that time you would have spent cooking to enjoy your spooky Halloween guests. And believe me, your guests will be scary impressed by how delicious and downright Halloweeney these pumpkin shot ribs are.
- 6 lb beef short ribs
- 2 cups beef stock
- 18oz (1-2 bottles) pumpkin ale or fall beer
- 1 small sugar pumpkin, seeds and peel removed and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 3-4 small onions, one minced and the others quartered
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- Sprigs of fresh herbs: rosemary, thyme, parsley, tied together with kitchen twine (boquet garni)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- You will need a dutch oven or heavy pot
- Season short ribs liberally with salt and pepper on all sides. Coat the bottom of the dutch oven evenly with olive oil and heat over medium until very hot. Add short ribs to dutch oven in small batches so that each rib is touching the bottom for maximum caramelization. Sear all sides of short ribs until dark and caramelized - about 4 minutes per side. Remove short ribs and set aside on a large plate or platter.
- Drain fat from dutch oven but do not wipe or wash clean. Add minced onion (1 onion) and minced garlic. Add spices and maple syrup. Saute until slightly browned, 4-5 minutes.
- Deglaze pan with beer and stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to bring up all of the stuck bits.
- Add back in short ribs with juices, cubes of pumpkin, quartered onions, herbs, and bay leaves. Be sure everything is submerged in liquid. Cover and put in oven on 250 and cook for 4-6 hours until short ribs are tender and falling apart.
- Half way through cooking, check on your short ribs and taste cooking liquid to season with added salt or spices as needed.
- Remove short ribs from oven and season as needed. Remove herbs and bay leaves. If serving immediately, use a large spoon to collect fat from the top of the liquid and then discard. If serving the next day, chill short ribs down in the fridge and remove accumulated fat by scraping it from the top. Reheat short ribs before serving and top with fresh herbs.
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