BSR&G: Braised Short Ribs & Grits

Got this recipe out of Bluestem – a cookbook that my sibling gave me. Had to modify it to accommodate tastes. (This is to serve four)

So, the ingredients:

Short Ribs

5 pounds of beef short ribs, boned with the bones reserved

Salt and pepper to season the ribs

Lardons (ok, the recipe calls for 6 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Normally I would use olive oil, however, daughter can’t eat it, so, using my homemade lardons – which are cured pork belly)

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped

1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped

4 cloves (or more) garlic, smashed and chopped

4 cups stout (I use Bury the Hatchet/Southern Cross Brewery, a fabulous stout! Use one that you would drink.)

6 cups chicken stock (homemade, of course!)

Grits 

1 cup corn grits

3 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

½ cup water

Salt

2 ounces Parmesan cheese, thinly sliced

I de-bone the ribs myself. Also, trim up the rib meat as well.

So, for the ribs:

     1.   Brown them. To do this I take a bunch of lardons (you could use 4 Tablespoons of oil) and place in a preheated sauté pan. 

    

   

      After browning them over medium heat, I remove the cracklings, leaving the oil. Then, brown the meat for about 3 minutes on each side. Then, set this aside. Got a picture here of some being browned while others, already browned, are on a plate.

 

   2.   Preheat the oven to 325 F.

   3.   In a stock pot (preheated), place some more lardons (or 2 Tablespoons of oil). Again, after browning the lardons over medium heat, remove the cracklings and leave the oil. Add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic and stir to soften, about 2 minutes over medium-high heat. Season this with salt and pepper, although if you used lardons, there will be enough salt.

   4.   Add the four cups of stout. (Note, this is 3-1/2 cans.)

   5.   Use the other ½ can of stout to deglaze the sauté pan where the ribs were browned. Pour this deglazed liquid into the stock pot with the vegetables.

 


    6.   Add the bones to the stout and vegetables. Reduce by a third, about 20 minutes at medium high heat. Check the seasoning and adjust.

 


    7.   Add the rib meat and any juice to the stock pot.

  8.   Add enough chicken stock to cover it all. If you don’t have enough stock, continue with water.

  

   9.   Cover the stock pot with aluminum foil and secure in place with twine.

  

     
  10.Slice a slit in the top. (I use a fork and punch holes.)

  11.Place in the oven for at least 3 hours.

  

12.Remove the ribs, wrap in aluminum foil and place back in the oven. Reduce oven temperature to 180 or less.

  13.Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and return liquid to stovetop over medium-high heat. Bring this to a simmer and reduce by half to make a sauce. Should take about 12 – 15 minutes. Season to taste.

For the grits:

  1.   Got a double boiler? Great! If not, bring a large sauce pan about half full of water to a simmer. Find a large, heatproof bowl that can be used as a double boiler (make sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water).

  2.   Stir together the grits, milk, cream and water in the bowl. Seal the bowl with a lid, if you have one (Bluestem says plastic wrap) and let the grits cook for 4 hours, lifting the plastic wrap every 45 minutes to give it a stir. Be careful not to melt the plastic and also, don’t burn yourself as steam will escape when you lift the plastic!

To serve:

  1.   Use shallow bowls.

  2.   Spoon a generous ½ cup of grits into each of the bowls.

  3.   Top the grits with the shaved Parmesan cheese.

  4.   Place the short ribs on the grits.

  5.   Drizzle each with some of the braising sauce.

  6.   Serve and Enjoy!!!