Eat Beef Short Ribs Tonight!

Dear Andrew, Addison and Friends;

Since we have been talking about beef I want to share a recipe with you that we have had many times while you were growing up. But it requires searing the beef.  You can sear beef, chicken, pork or fish. To begin allow the meat to become close to room temperature, (this allows for  more controlled cooking throughout the meat) so let the meat sit on a plate for about 30-60 minutes prior to searing. Okay back to searing meat, basically what this means is to add oil to your pan, turn the pan on a high temperature then add the meat. You cannot walk away once you add the meat. It only takes seconds to “brown” the meat. Once one side is browned then you flip the meat and sear all sides. This produces a carmelized effect on the meat and seals in the juices. It is a step, that is well worth doing. Just a word of caution, the oil will splatter out of the pan, to avoid such a huge splatter, use your splatter guard.

I know we all have busy weekends, so this is a great weekend recipe , its one of my  favorite recipes of all times. Its great for guests and it makes plenty for leftovers. It is a hearty, full-flavored dish to be served with egg noodles, rice or best of all mashed potatoes. The unexpected touch of orange, cinnamon and chile adds character and warmth. You can serve this with a bottle of Russian River Valley Zinfandel or your favorite red wine.

Get a pan to sear the meat, a clean plate, (never put cooked meat back on to a plate that had raw meat) s small sauce pan

Bring out your slow-cooker too.

2Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 pounds of beef short ribs, English cut (about 2 inches long) ask the butcher at your gracery store.

1 large white onion

2 carrots pooled and cut into medium dice

2 cups of Zinfandel or a red wine

1 cinnamon stick, do not add cinnamon powder, it won’t taste the same.(you will find in the spice aisle at your market)

1 dried ancho chile, seeded and toasted in a hot dry pan (you will find in the spice aisle of your market)

2 cups of beef stock

zest from one orange, I only use about half the zest from an orange.

Fresh ground salt and pepper

Salt and pepper the ribs. Put vegetable oil in a large pot, enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Turn up the heat, within seconds you will see smoke then immediately add ribs in a single layer.  Sear meat on both sides. Remove to a clean plate and reserve. Finish the rest of the ribs.  Once all the ribs are done, throw onions in the pot and turn down the heat, watch the onions until they become limp then remove. Get your slow cooker out, and turn the dial to 4 hours or 8 hours depending on your day. Add carrots, onions wine, cinnamon stick, orange zest, beef stock and ribs.    Now go on with your day and when you are ready for dinner, prepare your starch, (rice, risotto, pasta or potato) Remove the meat from the pot and put in on a platter. Strain the sauce and place the strained vegetables in to your blender, make sure the blender is clean from your last margarita party. Pulse the vegetables so they look like mush.  In a small sauce pan boil the sauce, (wine and beef broth) and to reduce it, this will take about 5 minutes on medium high, remove the cinnamon stick and then add the the pureed vegetables back into the pan to reheat and pour over the ribs.

Just throw together a salad and you now have a “perfect meal”.

Have a great weekend,

Love Mom