How to Cook Beef Short Ribs.
Slow cooked beef short ribs are tender, succulent and always have you coming back for more – especially with my BBQ glaze lacquered over the top.
Eating a pile of barbecued slow cooked beef short ribs is almost carnal in its execution and will satisfy the most carnivorous of diners wanting to gnaw on a prehistoric looking bone.
If I can’t get hold of beef ribs I’ll cook some of these instead.
When it comes to how to cook beef short ribs there are a few rules I stick by:
- Slow cook – beef ribs are tough as old boots and to break down those proteins and render that fat; you can beat slow cooking beef short ribs.
- Good quality beef is one of life’s pleasures (or at least one of mine – and I’ve got loads :)). As such, I don’t like mucking about too much with special ‘rubs’ or ‘marinades’ – just a decent whack of salt and pepper is all they really need.
- Once cooked; depending on how they are butchered you may get a top layer of meat that is slightly tougher than the rest, don’t worry – remove this and make a chilli the next day – the meat under it on the bone will be the most tender, melt in the mouth bit of bovine you’ve had the pleasure of masticating on.
If you can’t find beef short ribs and you are desperate for some ribs – check out this recipe.
A note on how to cook beef short ribs – especially on the BBQ. If you want to BBQ your beef short ribs, you either cook them really slow on the BBQ (for like five hours in indirect heat or a hot smoker) or slow cook them in the oven to my recipe and then once cooled place them on a really hot BBQ grill to char. If you think popping these prehistoric cuts straight over the coals for an hour is gonna work – get ready to order a take away!
How to Cook Beef Short Ribs:
Recipe – Serves 4
Ingredients:
Rack of beef short ribs – about two ribs per person cut into pairs
Few cloves of garlic lightly cracked
1 orange sliced into 1 cm rings
Seasoning
Your choice of BBQ sauce (or make your own)
Method:
Pre-heat oven to 120cFAN
- Prep the meat – trim most of the fat from the ribs leaving just a thin layer and season heavily.
- Place the ribs on a roasting rack inside a roasting tray. Fill the roasting tray with water – as much as you can without touching the ribs – this will in essence steam the ribs and keep them incredibly juicy. Drop the garlic in the water and a couple of the orange slices, this is to add some flavour to the steam.
- Place a couple of orange slices on top of the ribs – this is to impart some flavour and to stop the foil you use to cover the ribs being in direct contact with the meat.
- Now cover the ribs in foil tightening it around the edges of the roasting tray to ensure it is air tight. I usually use a few sheets of foil going the length and width of the roasting tray to be on the safe side – if it isn’t airtight this dish won’t work!
- Now pop the tray into the oven at 120c degrees for five hours. Don’t be tempted to check them – just stick them in, go out and come back in five hours to remove.
- After five hours remove the tray from the oven and rest for 20 minutes minimum before unwrapping. The ribs will be perfect.
- Slather your favourite bbq sauce over the ribs and either finish on your actual BBQ or pop them back in the oven at it’s highest setting (about 220c) for 2-3 minutes to help glaze the ribs.
- Gently place the ribs on a serving dish (use a spatula to move them) and carve into individual ribs.
Goes well with twice cooked chunky chips and a cold beer served in a frosted glass. Eat with close friends that you don’t mind getting messy in front of… and you will get messy..!