Falling for Fat: Playful Braised Short Ribs for the Carnivore Diet

When Carnivore Goes Playful

The Carnivore diet, despite its primal reputation, does not have to mean gnawing on steaks in silence like a Stone Age re-enactment. It can also be indulgent, extravagant and frankly a little cheeky. Think less survivalist, more decadent gentleman’s supper club.

Enter braised short ribs in beef stock and butter. Usually this dish would involve a mirepoix of onion, carrot and celery. Today we cast them aside. Instead, we double down on animal richness. Short ribs are slowly cooked until they surrender their toughness, collapsing into silky, gelatinous perfection. The braising liquid is beef stock bolstered by butter and a splash of cream for gloss. It is an unapologetic ode to carnivorous hedonism.

Advocates of the Carnivore diet maintain that collagen-rich cuts like short ribs bring benefits for joint health and gut lining thanks to their high glycine content (Shaw, 2020). Whether or not you subscribe to the health claims, one bite of this dish will confirm that pleasure alone is sufficient reason.

Recipe: Braised Short Ribs with Butter-Enriched Jus

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

• 1.5 kg / 3 lb beef short ribs, cut into portions

• 2 tbsp beef dripping or tallow (30 g / 1 oz)

• 750 ml / 3 cups beef stock

• 120 ml / ½ cup double cream (heavy cream)

• 60 g / 2 oz unsalted butter

• 2 tsp coarse sea salt (12 g / 0.4 oz)

• 1 tsp cracked black pepper (2 g / 0.07 oz)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C / 320°F.

2. Heat dripping or tallow in a heavy Dutch oven. Sear ribs on all sides until browned, about 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.

3. Deglaze the pot with a splash of beef stock, scraping up browned bits. Return ribs to the pot, pour in the rest of the stock, season with salt and pepper. The liquid should come halfway up the ribs.

4. Cover with lid and braise in the oven for 3 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and nearly falling off the bone.

5. Remove ribs and keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid, skim excess fat, then simmer on the hob until reduced by half. Stir in butter and cream for a glossy jus.

6. Serve ribs on a platter, ladled generously with sauce.

Nutritional Information (per serving, approximate)

• Calories: 980 kcal

• Protein: 70 g

• Fat: 78 g

• Saturated Fat: 32 g

• Carbohydrates: 0 g

• Fibre: 0 g

• Sodium: 650 mg

(Source: USDA FoodData Central, 2024)

Why This Dish Fits the Carnivore Diet

This recipe strips braising back to its meaty essence. The short ribs provide protein, fat, iron, and connective tissue that breaks down into collagen. The absence of vegetables keeps carbohydrate count at a glorious zero. Butter and cream elevate the sauce, adding energy-dense fat that sits squarely in Carnivore orthodoxy. The result is both playful and indulgent, proof that meat-only dining can be as sophisticated as any fine dining plate.

Culinary Notes and Variations

• For smoky depth, braise with a marrow bone in the pot and scoop the marrow into the jus at the end.

• For an even richer finish, stir in a raw egg yolk before serving.

• If feeling particularly flamboyant, present the ribs on silver platters as though they belong to a medieval banquet.

Artistic interpretation - details may differ from the actual.