I enjoy cooking with wine; so much so that I occasionally use it preparing the food. Yet, certain jobs call for certain tools. Preparing a certain hearty fall flavored feast is just such a job. The tool for that job was not a wine, but a smoked porter from Stone  Brewery (Link to Stone Brewing); dark, deep, slightly smokey and chocolately in a satisfyingly savory way it was the perfect base for some of the best short ribs I have ever tasted.

Free range, grass fed organic beef short ribs were dusted in seasoned buckwheat flour; stone ground from Nora Mill Granary (Nora Mill Granary). In a dutch oven on the stovetop the ribs were browned and removed. A mirepoix (carrot, celery and onion) was lightly sweated. The ribs were placed atop and bathed in the Stone Smoked Porter, coming about three quarters the way up the sides of the ribs. A touch of sage and savory were also added. Slowly it was finished over the next several hours in the oven at 275 degrees. Meanwhile in a small saucepan fresh persimmon was combined with sweated leek and honeycrisp apple cider. The mixture was cooked down by half, strained and combined with 1 ounce of veal demi-glace. Prior to serving, the ribs were removed into a baking dish and the glaze placed atop. Under the broiler for a few minutes finished the glaze. The ribs rested upon a roasted  pumpkin and cauliflower purée and some lightly seared baby bok choy. A final addition of some black trumpet mushrooms yielded an earthy, smokey decadent dinner! Give this one a try!
Stone Smoked Porter Short Ribs with Apple Persimmon Glaze and Black Trumpet Mushrooms over Roasted Pumpkin and Caulifower Puree and Baby Bok Choy