Beef Short Ribs
Keep it Simple
So far we’ve had an unseasonably warm and dry fall and I'm getting fed up with it. There are soups and stews and casseroles and roasts to make that can't really be enjoyed properly when it's a bright, clear sunny 78F outside. I find myself envying the flooding in New Hampshire and the snow storms in Colorado. The weather may be bad but the food makes up for it.
Nevertheless, when I was at the farmers' market last week Valley Farms (a local farm) had beef short ribs on special so I bought some despite the mild weather. Monday night I braised them.
The ribs were pretty fatty so I trimmed off most of the fat (which still left a lot) then I pulled out my Le Crueset dutch oven. This is the pot I bought last spring and have barely used so far. It weighs about 150 pounds and holds around six gallons -- at least it seems so. Though it hasn't seen much use to date, that's because it's a pot for stews and braises and soups and summer is not its season. Now it can make up for lost time.
I started by cooking about three strips of thick smoked bacon. Setting the bacon aside, I generously seasoned the ribs, browned them in the bacon fat, and put them aside. A couple of sliced onions several carrots and celery stalks went into the pot next to brown.
In thinking about the ribs I'd gone back and forth about the braising liquid -- wine or beer. Dr. Biggles recommended ale and I decided to take his advice and picked up a bottle of Brown Sheep ale (an English ale). The ale went into the pot to deglaze it, then the ribs went back in along with some homemade beef stock. I decided against adding any herbs or seasonings beyond the aromatics I'd browned and salt and pepper.
With all the ingredients in place, I brought the pot to a simmer and then put it in a 300F oven for three hours.
Obviously I needed something starchy to soak up and complement the broth and I settled on polenta. To round out the meal, I cooked up a mess (that's the proper Southern term for "a bunch of") of collards seasons with curry powder. I learned in South Carolina that curry really complements collards.
Even though the weather refused to cooperate and remained warm and pleasant, the meal was delicious and the grass-fed beef had a wonderful meaty flavor. I was right to keep the ingredients simple.
So far we’ve had an unseasonably warm and dry fall and I'm getting fed up with it. There are soups and stews and casseroles and roasts to make that can't really be enjoyed properly when it's a bright, clear sunny 78F outside. I find myself envying the flooding in New Hampshire and the snow storms in Colorado. The weather may be bad but the food makes up for it.
Nevertheless, when I was at the farmers' market last week Valley Farms (a local farm) had beef short ribs on special so I bought some despite the mild weather. Monday night I braised them.
The ribs were pretty fatty so I trimmed off most of the fat (which still left a lot) then I pulled out my Le Crueset dutch oven. This is the pot I bought last spring and have barely used so far. It weighs about 150 pounds and holds around six gallons -- at least it seems so. Though it hasn't seen much use to date, that's because it's a pot for stews and braises and soups and summer is not its season. Now it can make up for lost time.
I started by cooking about three strips of thick smoked bacon. Setting the bacon aside, I generously seasoned the ribs, browned them in the bacon fat, and put them aside. A couple of sliced onions several carrots and celery stalks went into the pot next to brown.
In thinking about the ribs I'd gone back and forth about the braising liquid -- wine or beer. Dr. Biggles recommended ale and I decided to take his advice and picked up a bottle of Brown Sheep ale (an English ale). The ale went into the pot to deglaze it, then the ribs went back in along with some homemade beef stock. I decided against adding any herbs or seasonings beyond the aromatics I'd browned and salt and pepper.
With all the ingredients in place, I brought the pot to a simmer and then put it in a 300F oven for three hours.
Obviously I needed something starchy to soak up and complement the broth and I settled on polenta. To round out the meal, I cooked up a mess (that's the proper Southern term for "a bunch of") of collards seasons with curry powder. I learned in South Carolina that curry really complements collards.
Even though the weather refused to cooperate and remained warm and pleasant, the meal was delicious and the grass-fed beef had a wonderful meaty flavor. I was right to keep the ingredients simple.
15 Comments:
I love my le creuset french oven. Maybe it will turn cool here soon.
Amy,
It's my second piece of Le Crueset. My father gave me a 2 qt sauce pan years ago that really is perfect for making sauces. And when I found this on sale I just couldn't resist.
Sales are good! I paid an arm and leg for my french oven, but I found a 2 qt casserole CHEAP at the Crate & Barrel outlet, which was fun. I think I'm set for now, but I always glance at sales just to be sure there's not something I just have to have.
Too funny! I made braised short ribs in my Le Cueset this last weekend as well.
Great minds...
P.S. You pic looks great!
Megan,
They're made for things like ribs.
Kevin...may I say...YUM! I'm going to get me some of those short ribs TOMORROW! I have one of those 150 lb Le Cruset dutch ovens (but mine isn't a Le Cruset, was made in, I think, Belgium...whatever, it weighs a ton...)...and aren't you on a tear with the polenta?...got to get back to the polenta..! Thanks for a s##tload of inspiration....!
Stephen,
The poleta was definitely a good idea. A nice change from potatoes but with the same characteristics.
2 quart oven? That ain't even large enough for a SNACK TREAT !!!
Yeah, the goat leg needed to be somewhat simple as well. The grass fed meat tends to have a far more delicate flavor, something you need to hunt for and play with. Do you believe the wine might have been a bit too much?
Biggles
Wow! I love your blog! I bless the link from a fellow foodie that brought me here.
I very much look forward to exploring your blog more.
I'm not sure if the 2qt "oven" comment was directed toward me, but for clarification, my french oven is a 7qt and i love it. I have a 2qt casserole that I love too. It's perfect for rice, polenta, and lots of other things.
Doc,
The 2 qt pot is my sauce pan, my dutch oven is "about 150 pounds and holds around six gallons." And I think the wine would definitely have been too much.
Andrea,
Thanks! I'm glad you found me.
Hmmm, gonna find me some fresh grain fed goat to compare it to my frozen grass fed leg. Gotta see.
Okay, I love polenta and short ribs. Unfortunately, I couldn't have this one with the beer. But a girl can dream!
Oh, and I'm just dying for a heavy Le Creuset. Essentially, you're embodying my hopes with this post.
Shauna,
Does barley have gluten in it?
You might take a look at the Lodge enameles Dutch ovens too. I probably would have gone that route if the Le Crueset hadn't been on sale.
Alright, 7 quart. That's better, gotta make sure you're getting enough nutriments.
Biggles
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