Beef

Candied Short Ribs

March 22, 2011
5
1 Ratings
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

I love Nigella Lawson's recipe (in Feast) for Sake Steak. Over the years, I had altered the marinade and played with the sauce, but the time I decided to fiddle with the protein was the day of the disappearing dinner. I marinated the short ribs for three days until the texture of the meat had firmed up (what I now understand is a cure.) I had company arriving on an international flight and had planned the dinner to make for a quick prep after a long airplane ride. I put the short ribs on a hot (gas) grill, closed the lid, went into the kitchen to put the side dishes on the table, walked out to retrieve the short ribs 5 minutes later, and when I opened the lid to the grill, there was nothing left. Just ash. Incinerated. In the intervening two years, I've learned about curing and smoking meats, and here, I present a recipe for an appropriately fired up candied short rib. Nice over rice - but I will try it with buttered toasted fregola next time -a nutty pasta I picked up at Eataly. —MrsWheelbarrow

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Sweet Cure (Marinade)
  • 8-12 short ribs, depending on the rest of the menu
  • 3 teaspoons Coleman's mustard
  • 4 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
  • 1/2 cup tamari (I use wheat free)
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon hot chili oil, or to taste
  • 4 cardamom pods, opened and the seeds slightly crushed
  • Fired Up Sauce
  • 1 Vidalia or other sweet onion, cut into 1/4" half moons
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 1/4 cup tamari
  • 2 tablespoons Coleman's mustard
  • 2 cups sake
  • 1/4 cup finely minced cilantro
Directions
  1. Mix together the marinade ingredients and add the short ribs (do not cut them apart, but leave them in slabs of three or four ribs. Place in a zip top bag or a covered bowl and refrigerate for three days.
  2. Get your grill going nice and hot, but just on one side, if gas, or place the charcoal just on one side of a charcoal grill. (Or use a grill pan on the stove) Spray the grill with PAM or brush with oil.
  3. Place the meat over the indirect heat, Grill the short ribs for 3-5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the meat. Watch them carefully. Remove from the heat and wrap in foil, then allow the ribs to rest while you make the sauce.
  4. In a large skillet, add the butter and heat until foamy. Add in the onions and cook them until translucent. Add the tamari, fish sauce, Worchestershire and mustard and stir/reduce for 5 minutes.
  5. Remove the short ribs from the foil, separate the ribs, and either individually plate or place on a serving platter with rice or fregola or noodles underneath.
  6. Add the sake to the onions, heat and flame the sauce, reduce a bit, and pour it over the short ribs, and garnish with the cilantro.

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1 Review

Lizthechef March 22, 2011
Thanks for sharing a great kitchen story. Clearly, you have the kinks ironed out these days!