Short Ribs Braised in Beer Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 2 hours Servings: 4 Ingredients - 5 pounds bone-in beef short ribs - 1/4 pound bacon - 2 medium onions - 1 bottle of flavorful beer, preferably dark - 2 cups beef stock or water - bay leaves - 1/4 cup tomato paste - 2 tablespoons cooking oil - salt and pepper    The combined essenses of browned beef, smoky bacon and full-bodied beer blend to a rich deep flavor during the long slow braising process.	1

	Directions Pre-heat oven to 350°. Trim excess fat from the meat, sprinkle with salt and pepper - about 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper.   Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to a heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat When the oil is hot, brown the ribs in batches (to avoid crowding), then set browned ribs aside. Pour or spoon off accumulated fat but leave any browned bits in the pan.  Chop the bacon into 1 inch pieces, add to the pan and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.  Add the onions, coarsely chopped, stir and cook until golden, another 5 minutes or so.  Add the tomato paste, stock or water, beer and bay leaf and bring to a boil, stirring to mix well. Add the browned ribs. Cover the pan with a snug-fitting lid or foil, put in the oven, and bake until the meat is fork-tender, about 2 hours. Although it is not essential, it is a good idea to uncover the pan after about an hour and turn the rib pieces over in the braising liquid. Recover and return to oven. When the meat is tender, remove it to a warm place (such as the turned-off oven), tip the pan and skim off any fat on the surface. On the stovetop, boil the braising liquid to reduce it to the consistency you prefer for a pour-over sauce. (If it's thick enough when you take it out of the oven, skip this step. If it's too thick, add a little water, cooking and stirring to blend.) Remove bay leaf and add salt if necessary.  Serve the ribs with sauce drizzled over them; pass any remaining sauce to be added to taste.	2