Saturday, May 07, 2011

New American Table: Beer-Braised Short Ribs


I love making short ribs.  They are like the absolute pinnacle of beef eating if you have the 3 hours to wait for them to cook up.  Where else do you start with a nasty, tough old piece of meat, and come out the other end with a tender, succulent dinner?  Maybe brisket.  But even brisket can't live up to the saucy perfection of these babies.  Chef Samuelsson, I salute you.

Note: Definitely try to use the beer recommended (or a close relation).  Otherwise the flavor profile is changed, and it's just not as good.  When it comes to cooking the ribs, I used some of the marinating liquid in lieu of all beer.  It adds some of the spiciness from the Sriracha back in for the long haul.  I'd maybe swap out 1 cup of marinating liquid for 1 cup of the beer and 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce.

Beer-Braised Short Ribs
Adapted from New American Table by Marcus Samuelsson

3 tablespoons red chile paste (such as Sriracha)
4 pounds short ribs
½ cup soy sauce
4 cups beer (such as Brooklyn Lager)
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 red onions, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
One 3-inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped
3 bay leaves
4 cups chicken stock
½ cup mirin
2 tablespoons ketjap manis
1 tablespoon honey
2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Smear the chile paste over the short ribs. Arrange the ribs in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix together ¼ cup of the soy sauce and ½ cup of the beer and pour over the ribs. Turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Remove the ribs from the baking dish and pat dry. Season with salt. Heat the sesame oil and olive oil in a large ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot, add the ribs and brown on all sides. Remove to a separate dish.

Add the onions, garlic, ginger, and bay leaves and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Return the ribs to the pot and pour in 3 cups of the beer, the remaining ¼ cup soy sauce, the chicken stock, and mirin. Bring to a simmer over low heat, cover, and place in the oven. Cook until meat is tender and falling off the bone, about 3 hours. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

Remove the ribs from the pot. Skim the fat off the top and reserve 2 cups of the liquid. Combine the reserved cooking liquid, 1 teaspoon salt, ketjap manis, honey, and the remaining ½ cup beer in a small saucepan. Remove and discard the bay leaves.  Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half, stirring constantly.  Stir in the scallions and butter and serve over the short ribs.

Makes 6 servings

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