WHAT TRENDY YOUNG RESTAURANT CHEFS TODAY HAVE yet to learn, but what Southern home cooks have known for centuries, is that there’s one way and only one way to transform tough, cartilage-laden short ribs of beef (like lamb shanks) into a culinary wonder: braising them slowly in liquid for hours. No dry-heat cooking, no marinating and grilling, no quick method whatsoever will break down the meat fibers and soften up the fat as braising does. Cooking short ribs correctly is a long but easy process. The technique I’ve used for years involves both boiling and braising the ribs with vegetables for optimal succulence and tenderness. Most Southerners cook short ribs simply in water, but, just recently, I’ve found that beer provides a slight bitterness that beautifully balances the sweetness of the meat and onions. Do shop very carefully for short ribs, rejecting any that have more bone than meat. What you’re looking for are meaty ribs at least 4 inches wide and 3 inches thick. Remember that nothing freezes as well as uncooked short ribs.
MAKES: 4 to 5 servings
INGREDIENTS:
- 6 meaty short ribs of beef
- 3 (12-ounce) cans beer or ale
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 12 small onions, scored on the root ends
- 10 small red potatoes, peeled
- 1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes with juice
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Place the 6 meaty short ribs of beef in a large saucepan or pot.
- Add three 12-ounce cans of beer or ale to the saucepan. If necessary, add enough water to cover the ribs.
- Season the ribs with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the saucepan and simmer the ribs for at least 3 hours. If needed, add more beer or water to ensure the ribs remain covered.
- During the last hour of simmering, add the 12 small onions, scored on the root ends.
- In the last 30 minutes of cooking, add the 10 small red potatoes, peeled.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F while the ribs are simmering.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked ribs to a large, shallow baking dish.
- Arrange the onions and potatoes around the ribs in the baking dish.
- Add the contents of one 16-ounce can of whole tomatoes, along with their juice, to the baking dish. If the juice does not fill the dish by three quarters, add a little of the cooking liquid from the saucepan.
- Season the dish with salt and pepper.
- Bake the dish in the preheated oven until the top is slightly crusted, which typically takes about 45 minutes.
- Serve the dish directly from the baking dish.
