Slow braised spiced beef short rib

By Greenlea Butcher

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Take your time with this slow braised beef. With deep, rich, caramel flavours and a touch a vino it’s ideal dish to end a lazy Sunday.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

2.4 kg Greenlea Beef Short Ribs
Sea salt
4 tsp black peppercorns
2 tbsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp cumin seeds
14 star anise
12 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks (broken)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
150 g sugar
200 ml red wine vinegar
80 ml tamari or soy sauce
2 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1000 ml Restore Beef Stock
1 red chilli
1 green chilli
1 handful of fresh coriander leaves

Method

1. Cut the rack into single ribs. Season the beef generously with salt.  Seal the short ribs, on all sides, on a hot frying pan or BBQ plate. Once sealed, nestle them into a slow cooker and place to one side.
2. Heat a large heavy bottomed frying pan on low heat, add all the dry spices and toast gently until fragrant.  Remove the spices from the pan and place them to one side.
3. Pour the sugar into the frying pan and begin to caramelise it, watching closely to ensure it doesn’t burn. When the sugar begins to caramelise in parts, add the red wine vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and garlic.  Bring to the boil.  When the sugar is dissolved, add back the toasted spices and pour this liquid over the short ribs.
4. Add the Restore Beef Stock to the cooker and mix well.  Cook the beef in the slow cooker for 8 hours on low, or 5-6 hours on high.  When the meat is falling from the bone, carefully remove the ribs from the slow cooker and place into a container, cover and chill in the refrigerator, whilst you prepare the sauce.
5. Strain the cooking liquor through a sieve lined with muslin cloth, into a large saucepan.
6. Chill the liquid in the fridge until the fat has hardened on the surface.  Scrape off the fat and place the liquid on a high heat and reduce by 3/4. It should thicken slightly.
7. Whilst the sauce is reducing, set out the chilled ribs on a roasting tray lined with baking paper and place under a hot oven grill until sizzling on the top and heated through.
8. Serve the ribs with the spicy sauce, a scattering of sliced chilli and coriander leaves.

Note: If you don’t have a slow cooker or would like to cook this dish in a shorter space of time, simply use a large cast iron casserole dish with a lid. Preheat the oven to 160ºC and follow the instructions but instead cook for 4 -5 hours. Then proceed with the remaining recipe steps.