This is one of my favourite recipes to cook short ribs. The bitterness of the dark ale works well with the sweetness from the caramelized vegetables, and the beef is simply succulent. This recipe is abridged from Cooking Meat, available at the shops or wherever fine books are sold.
Short Ribs with Dark Ale
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
To taste Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped carrots
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped leeks
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 herb bundle (4 sprigs thyme, 4 sprigs rosemary, 4 bay leaves) tied together
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 L Beef Stock
1 L dark ale
¼ cup fancy molasses
¼ cup malt vinegar
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup cold water
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Fill a bowl with the flour. Liberally season the ribs with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large ovenproof, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Dredge the ribs in the flour, rolling them around to coat them and shaking off any excess, before placing them in the pot. Brown the ribs, one or two at a time, then transfer them to a plate.
- Turn down the heat to medium-low and return the pot to the heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, leeks, and garlic and stir, scraping the dark brown bits of cooked meat from the bottom of the pot. Cook until softened, about 15 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper.
- Add the herb bundle to the pot, along with the tomato paste. Stir well and cook for a few more minutes. Add the stock, ale, molasses, and vinegar, and bring to a simmer.
- Return the ribs to the pot, making sure they are completely submerged. If not, add more stock or a little water. Cover with a lid, place the pot in the oven, and braise until the beef is soft and just coming away from the bone, 2 to 2.5 hours. Remove the pot from the oven and allow the ribs to cool, covered, in the liquid at room temperature for a few hours.
- Remove the ribs from the braising liquid and reserve, keeping warm. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan, discarding the solids. Bring the braising liquid to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce it by half, about 12 to 15 minutes. Turn down the heat to medium-low.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to make a slurry. Starting with half of the slurry, slowly drizzle into the sauce and simmer until it coats the back of a spoon, adding more slurry if needed. Season with salt and pepper.
- To serve, arrange the ribs on a serving platter and coat with some of the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce into a gravy boat and serve alongside the ribs.