Short Ribs

Last night I was asked a question about a recipe for Short Ribs on Facebook, so I thought I'd talk a little bit about them here.
 

Short ribs come from the Front Quarter of beef: They reside in below the "7 bone rib" on what is called the Plate.

This chart shows the typical Canadian cuts of beef you might find in your average super market, with a guide to tenderness which is based on muscle usage (more used = less tender or tough).  Although you also have to consider that these well used muscles have developed a much more concentrated beefy flavour, and although a nice tender steak is always appealing, properly preparing these tougher cuts can result in just as satisfying a meal!

As you note, short ribs falls under the "less tender" category, which means the method of preparation for this cut is limited to a moist method of cooking which include either braising or stewing.  The key to making these cuts tender lies in 3 thing: 1. Time, 2. Temperature and 3. Humidity.
1. Allow any braised or stewed item AMPLE time to cook, what this does is breaks down the connective tissues which hold the meat fibres together. 
2. Don't try to rush the process by using an aggressive temperature, keep your temperature at or below 300ºF.
3. Keep your meat covered until the very end, and make sure that the liquid level is maintained.

I know I didn't cover everything in this post, just the basics, so feel free to comment with questions and I can elaborate.
Bob