MAKES: 6 servings TESTED BY: Kelsey B.
034 Asian Short Ribs
TASTING COMMENTS:
Browning the ribs first adds extra flavor and deepens the color of the rich sauce. Just don’t brown them all at once—you’ll miss the benefits of searing and go straight to stewing!—KB
prep 30 minutes bake 2 hourS 45 minutes at 350°F
- 2½ cups reduced-sodium beef broth
- ¾ cup hoisin sauce
- 3 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
- 1½ tsp. five-spice powder
- ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
- 3½ to 4 lb. beef short ribs, cut into serving-size pieces
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
- 1½ cups sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms (stems removed) or button mushrooms
- Hot cooked rice (optional)
- Green onions, bias-sliced into 1-inch pieces (optional)
Hoisin sauce is a common condiment in Chinese cooking. Made of soybeans, garlic, chile peppers, and spices, it’s what gives this rib dish a sweet-and-spicy flavor.
To get the best sesame flavor, be sure to use the toasted sesame oil rather than light-color sesame oil, which has not been toasted.
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl stir together the first six ingredients (through cayenne pepper if using). Trim fat from ribs; sprinkle with black pepper. In a 4- to 5-qt. Dutch oven heat oil over medium-high heat. Add ribs, half at a time; cook until browned on all sides. Remove ribs to a large bowl. Add onion, garlic, and ginger to Dutch oven. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until onion is lightly browned.
2. Return ribs to Dutch oven; add broth mixture. Bring to boiling. Cover Dutch oven; transfer to oven. Bake 2 hours, stirring once or twice. Add mushrooms; stir. Bake, covered, 45 minutes more or until ribs are tender.
3. Transfer ribs to a deep platter; keep warm. Transfer cooking liquid to a large glass measure. Skim fat from cooking liquid. For sauce, return cooking liquid to Dutch oven; bring to boiling. Cook, uncovered, 2 to 3 minutes or until thickened. Pour some of the sauce over ribs. Pass remaining sauce. If desired, serve with rice and sprinkle with green onions.
Per serving 316 cal., 16 g fat (5 g sat. fat), 65 mg chol., 1,044 mg sodium, 18 g carb., 1 g fiber, 10 g sugars, 24 g pro.
pick the right ribs! For this recipe, choose English-style short ribs, which are 2 to 4 inches long with one rib-bone section. Look for meaty, well-marbled ribs and use a knife to remove any large areas of visible fat.
TESTING NOTES
1. Although it takes a little more time to brown the ribs half at a time, it’s worth it in the end to do this step in two batches. If you brown all of the ribs at once, too much liquid is released from the meat. Instead of searing and taking on a dark caramelized crust, the meat stews and gets soft on the outside.
2. Shiitake stems are very tough! Remove the stems before adding the mushrooms to this dish. If you like to make your own vegetable stock, save the stems. They add a meaty note to homemade stock—perfect for a veggie risotto.
3. To test the doneness of short ribs, insert a fork into the thickest part. They are done when the fork twists easily and the meat pulls apart with no resistance.
4. Don’t skip the last step! Simmering the skimmed sauce 2 to 3 minutes over medium-high heat concentrates the flavor and gives you a slightly thickened sauce that coats a spoon.
great grating To mince fresh ginger, first remove the tough, woody skin using a spoon or table knife. Then grate using a Microplane or the smallest holes on a box grater. Grate only what you need for each use. Wrap unpeeled ginger in a paper towel and refrigerate up to 3 weeks. For longer storage, place unpeeled ginger in a freezer bag; freeze up to 1 year.
