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Bouquet garni (6 sprigs of thyme, 3 bay leaves, 6 sprigs of parsley and 1 roughly chopped leak tied together in cheesecloth)
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1. Lightly season the ribs with salt and pepper. Heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, then sear the ribs in batches, allowing each side to brown. Place the ribs in a bowl or plastic container to rest in the refrigerator at least overnight, but preferably 24 hours.
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2. The next day, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot over low heat and add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Cover the pot and let the vegetables cook until they're soft and release their juices, about 15 minutes. Make sure onions do not brown. Add the wine, raise heat to medium high and bring the mixture to a boil until reduced about two thirds, about 10 minutes. Add the beef stock, tomatoes and bouquet garni. Return mixture to a boil.
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3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place the ribs in a 12-by-18-inch baking pan, or two smaller pans. Remove the bouquet garni and pour over the stock mixture ribs. Bake 2 to 3 hours, checking after 2 hours to determine if the meat is tender and pulls easily from the bone.
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4. Remove the ribs from the pan and keep warm. Allow the sauce to sit 5 to 10 minutes and skim fat off the top. (You can also place the sauce and ribs in the fridge overnight and skim off the fat. Reheat ribs and sauce in oven before proceeding.) Remove ribs from sauce and keep warm. Puree the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. For a thicker sauce, boil down to desired consistency.
