Tie together the fresh parsley, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf using butcher’s twine. Set it aside.
Season the short ribs on all sides with salt and pepper.
Add the lard to a large Dutch oven pot over medium heat until it begins to smoke lightly.
Place in the ribs taking care not to put them too close to each other and sear them on all sides until they are very golden brown, which takes about 3 to 4 minutes per side, on all sides. If you must do this in batches because the pot isn’t quite big enough, so be it.
Set the short ribs to the side on a plate.
Add the prepared vegetables to the pot and continue to cook over medium-high heat until they are well browned, which takes about 5 to 7 minutes.
Deglaze with red wine and cook until the amount of liquid is reduced by ½.
Stir in some tomato paste until it is completely mixed in. This will help thicken it. If the high heat concerns you at this point, turn it down to medium.
Pour in the stock and then add in the fresh herbs, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Taste it and ensure it is flavorful.
Add in the short ribs and turn the heat to high to bring it to a boil.
Place on a lid and cook on a smaller burner on low heat for2 ½ to 3 hours or until the short ribs become very tender and easily fall off the bone.
Once the ribs are done cooking, gently transfer them to a pot, place them on a lid, and set them to the side to rest.
Drain the sauce, discard the vegetables, and cook the sauce for 10-15 minutes in a separate pot over high heat or just until it’s thickened up like a thin gravy. It does not need to be thick to add a lot of flavor to the dish.
Serve the short ribs with the thickened gravy.
Notes
Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten once it is finished cooking. However, you can keep it warm over very low simmering heat for up to 1 hour before serving.How to Store: Cover and store the short ribs in the sauce in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can cover it and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.How to Reheat: Add the desired number of short ribs to a rondeau or saucepot along with some of the sauce and cover and heat in the oven at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until hot.Other vegetables you can add to the recipe are parsnips, turnips, or celeriac root.You can also add or remove any of the herbs in the braising liquid.The other cooking option is cooking it in the oven at 325° for 2 ½ to 3 hours.