Braised & Glazed Short Ribs

One of my long time friends recently accused me of not making any “manly” recipes, and challenged me to come up with something that would be fit for him to serve on the fourth of July. I typically would come up with something like mac and cheese, or potato salad, or pie (never fear, I am in fact making peach pie for the fourth of July!). So I decided to make something that I had never made before, but also something that he would actually make and eat: short ribs. The recipe has three steps, most of the cooking time is unattended braising in the oven. First, you season and brown the meat, then you braise it in the oven, and finally the super tender ribs are glazed and broiled. You end up with a sizzling glaze and the softest, most flavorful ribs. Julius, this one is for you:

Asian Glazed Braised Short Ribs

Ingredients:

Rub:
1 tablespoon five-spice powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt; more as needed
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

3 lbs boneless beef short ribs, or 5 lbs bone in short ribs, preferably English style
2 tablespoons canola or peanut oil
2 large yellow onions, coarsely chopped
3 large cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh ginger
1 12-oz. bottle lager beer at room temperature; more if needed
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 bay leaf

Glaze:
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon fish sauce

Procedure:

1. Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and pre-heat to 300°F.
2. Trim any excess fat from the meat.Combine all the ingredients for the rub. Pat dry the meat and rub with spice mixture. Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel, and rub on the spices. You can do this 24 hours in advance. I did it right before browning the ribs.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven, or other heavy pot with a lid, over medium heat until hot. Brown each piece until well browned on each side. Do not crowd the pan. Transfer to a platter and set aside.
4. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the onions soften and start to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook about 2 minutes more.
5. Add the beer and bring to a full boil over high heat. Add the bay leaf. Return the ribs to the pot along with any juices. The ribs should be at least three-quarters submerged in the liquid. If necessary, add a bit more beer or broth.
6. Put the lid in place and transfer the pot to the oven. Braise, turning the ribs with tongs every 45 minutes, until the meat is fork-tender and pulling away from the bone, about 2-1/2 hours.

Make the glaze:
1. While the ribs are braising, mix all the ingredients for the glaze.
2. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to carefully transfer the ribs to a flameproof gratin dish or a shallow baking pan.
3. Strain the braising liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing gently on the solids with a spoon to extract the liquid. Let the fat rise to the top and remove.
4. Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler to high. Generously brush the glaze on the tops of the ribs. Slide the ribs under the broiler and broil until the surface of the ribs develops a shiny, almost caramelized glaze and you can hear them sizzle, about 4 minutes. Serve with the sauce on the side for dipping, or drizzle it over the ribs.

This recipe is from Fine Cooking Magazine