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Jacob Fox
Our 30 Most Popular Christmas Recipes
Until a few years ago, we went back and forth between my parents’ home in Michigan and my in-laws’ houses in Massachusetts. But we have two dogs and a kid and decided it was time for us to wake up in our own home on Christmas morning. That meant we got to start some of our own traditions. It also meant I got to decide what to make for Christmas dinner.
As I was considering what to put on the menu the first year, I kept coming around to the same dilemma—I only have one oven. How could I makecheesy potato casserole,roasted Brussels sproutsandapple pie(I prefer them freshly baked!) if I also had to make a roast that would spend hours in the oven?
I started scrolling throughPinterest—it’s how I organize recipes, both tried-and-true favorites and ones I want to try. That’s when I came upon a recipe I developed a few years ago forSlow-Cooker Balsamic Short Ribs. Not only is it fairly straightforward to make with mostly ingredients I always keep on hand, it was a huge hit with all of the tasters when I developed it in the EatingWell Test Kitchen. Plus it didn’t involve using my oven.
Slow-Cooker Balsamic Short Ribs
21 Christmas Slow-Cooker Recipes to Free Up the Oven
And that gravy is fire. It gets sweetness from the balsamic vinegar and slow-cooked onions, as well as savoriness from the juices of the short ribs as it cooks all day long. To thicken it up at the end, you just stir in a little cornstarch slurry. You could even add a knob of butter to make it glossy. The end result is a sweet and savory gravy that’s delicious spooned over your favorite starch of choice—think mashed potatoes or the previously mentioned cheesy potato casserole or evenrice pilaf.
While short ribs sound pricey, I compared them against another popular Christmas centerpiece—beef tenderloin—at my local supermarket, and they’re about one-third the price of beef tenderloin. Plus, relying on my slow cooker to make the main event left plenty of room for all of the sides, desserts and even these adorablecranberry-Brie tartlets. And I was less stressed, knowing I had one less thing to think about putting in the oven. Wishing you less stressful holidays too!
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