Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 3

Pat the ribs dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2

Step 4

tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the ribs

Step 5

on all sides, working in batches if needed. Remove the ribs and set aside. Add

Step 6

the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the Dutch oven and reduce the heat to medium.

Step 7

Add the carrots, celery, onions and some salt and pepper and cook until soft,

Step 8

about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add

Step 9

the tomato paste and cook, stirring, to remove the raw flavor, about 3 minutes.

Step 10

Deglaze the pan with the vinegar, and then add the red pepper flakes and bay

Step 11

leaves.

Step 13

Add the ribs back to the pan and add enough stock to reach

Step 14

halfway up the sides of the ribs. Bring the pan to a simmer, cover and place in

Step 15

the oven. Braise until the meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. During the last

Step 16

half hour, uncover to allow the liquid to reduce and the pork to brown.

Step 18

Serve the ribs with Creamy Polenta, spooning the sauce on

Step 19

top, and garnishing with parsley.

Step 21

Spray the insert of a slow cooker with cooking spray (for easier clean up) and preheat on high.

Step 23

In a medium saucepan, add 1 cup of the half-and-half, the milk, 1 tablespoon of the butter and the polenta. Season with salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly to keep the mixture lump-free. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours, stirring once or twice per hour.

Step 25

Once you are ready to serve, open the slow cooker and whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, the remaining 1/3 cup half-and-half and the Parmesan. Salt and pepper conservatively since the polenta will be served with a robustly salted dish.