Asian Braised Short Ribs
Comfort food still reigns supreme in our home. Despite my best efforts and New Year’s Resolutions (HA remember those?!) rice, pasta, and other comfort foods have been flooding my kitchen table for weeks now. I try to eat a salad a day for lunch but when dinner comes around, I want soft, comforting food that tastes like a hug from my mom.
These short ribs do just that. These may not have been in my mom’s rotation as a kid but soft, tender meat that’s been simmered for hours is comfort food at its finest. Anything with a liberal amount of fat, starch, and salt will do for me, just don’t tell my doctor.
As the middle of May gets closer, I’m feeling a sense of urgency to savor every moment I have left with Anthony before I leave for the summer. Running the family business is something I wouldn’t trade for anything but it comes with a unique set of challenges like being away from your spouse and home for almost half the year. Sure, he comes up and visits when he can but for the most part, our life together is put on the hold for months.
One thing that does help with the impending separation is savoring each moment. We’ve been spending a lot of time taking walks together in the woods, working on projects around the house, and just enjoying the little moments we take for granted - waking up together in our own home, snuggling on the couch, sitting by the fire in our back yard.
What makes short ribs so delicious is the marbled fat they sport. Coaxing the flavor out of these over the course of several hours yields meat that is addictively tender and succulent. The liquid that the ribs braise in is equally as delicious. The combination of soy, sugar, lime juice, and broth results in a liquid that is sweet, salt, sour, and spicy all at once, and as the meat breaks down, the fat from the ribs gives the liquid a full-bodied presence that is fulfilling and velvety.
I use Chinese Five Spice Powder in this recipe but if you don’t have any in your spice drawer, make some using cinnamon, cloves, ginger, fennel, and star anise. It is basically apple pie spice with a kick and works really well with all the other flavors in this dish.
Asian Braised Short Ribs
Ingredients
2lbs Short Ribs
3/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons five-spice powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2-inch ginger nub, grated
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sriracha
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 cups broth
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350
Combine the flour, salt, pepper, and five-spice powder in a bowl and stir to combine. Dredge the short ribs in the flour mixture so they are evenly coated, tapping them to discard any excess.
In a large, oven-safe pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once it is hot and shimmering, brown the short ribs on all sides, about 1 or 2 minutes per side. Work in batches if necessary, do not crowd the pan or the ribs won’t brown!
Remove the ribs from the pot and add the onions and saute until they are soft. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant - 30 seconds to one minute.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the soy sauce, sriracha, brown sugar, and brown sugar. Add the mixture to the onions and bring to a simmer.
Add the ribs back to the pot and cover. Move everything to the oven and bake for 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender and easily releases from the bone.
Garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro and serve with steamed rice.
