This has been the winter for comfort foodand slow-roasting in the oven!
A few weeks ago I found 5 packages of short ribs in the freezer. Short ribs are one of those cuts of meat that is done differently in the US than in Canada. I do not care for Canadian short ribs - they tend to be fattier and have a lower meat-to-bone ratio. US ones are far superior IMHO.
Add short ribs to the long list of things I buy in the US and bring back to Canada on our shopping trips.
I have a few favourite recipes that I have used in the pastbut I thought the flavours in this version sounded interesting. This is a great twist on traditional short ribs – the lemongrass, ginger, hoisin, orange juice and soy sauce give it a unique Asian flair. It is less work than you would think. Like traditional slow cooked meals, there is about 30 minutes of work up front, then you just put it into the oven and let it cook, unattended.
This particular recipe originates from Emeril Lagasse, whose frequent visits to Hawaii inspired this dish. His unique balance of sweet and spicy give a great depth of flavor.
I'll give you a hint for better short ribs - they tend to be fatty the sauce can be very greasy. The solution is to spread the cooking over two days. I allowed them to cool after having removed them from the oven. I removed the meat from the sauce. Both went into the refrigerator overnight. The fat rises to the top of the sauce and solidifies allowing you to lift it off and discard. You can then procede with the recipe the next day.
Serve over Jasmin rice, topped with sliced green onion and orange zest. Be sure to ladle some of that amazing sauce over the top too! Love this sauce!
Asian-Style Braised Short Ribs
5-7 pounds beef short ribs, (ideally, but not necessarily) cut into 4-ounce portions
1 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 (5-inch) stalk lemongrass, halved and smashed
1 tablespoon peeled and minced ginger
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 quart water
1/2 cup sliced green onion bottoms, white part only
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Jasmine Rice, for serving
2 tablespoons finely grated orange rind, for serving
Sliced green onion tops, optional for garnish
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large roasting pan or Dutch oven, combine the short ribs, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, brown sugar, water, green onion bottoms, crushed red pepper, and orange juice. Make sure that the stockpot is deep enough so that the short ribs are submerged in the liquid.
Bake the short ribs, covered, for 3-4 hours, or until the meat is tender and falling off the bones. Remove the short ribs from the braising liquid and cover. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Reserve the braising liquid. Refrigerate to bring fat to the top.Drain the fat off of the cooking liquid and discard. Place the remaining braising juices in a saucepan with 1/4 cup of the hoisin sauce and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the liquid until only about 2 cups remain. Strain through a fine-meshed strainer, discarding the solids. Stir in the lemon juice.
Remove the rib meat from the bone and trim additional fat. Return the short ribs and the reduced sauce to the roasting pan or Dutch oven, coating the short ribs well with the sauce. Bake for 10-15 minutes in a pre-heated 425 degree oven, until the short ribs are heated through and slightly glazed. Serve hot over jasmine rice. Season each portion with the orange zest and garnish with the green onions if desired.
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