There’s a guy in Newcastle who smokes stuff; he has a stall at my monthly food market and each month turns up with something new he has tried out – nuts, cheese, chillies, black pudding, chicken, eggs (not convinced) are staples. One month he turned up with some whiskey oak smoked brown sugar. I somehow resisted the temptation to not just spoon it straight into my mouth, the smell and taste are just so good…
These ribs are covered in a sticky smoky marinade and then slow cooked until they just fall apart. Even if you can’t find smoked sugar you will still be rewarded.
SERVES 6
• 35g smoked brown sugar or 35g soft brown sugar and 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp dark treacle
• 2 tsp crushed coriander seeds
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp English mustard
• 6 beef short ribs
• salt and pepper
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 bottle beer, of your choice
• 1 litre beef stock
Alternatives
ox cheek; oxtail; beef shin
Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas 3.
Combine the sugar or paprika, if using, the treacle, coriander seeds, chilli flakes and mustard into a thick paste and rub it all over the ribs with your hands, getting it into all of the crevices, then sprinkle with salt and pepper well.
Lay the ribs in a deep baking tray, with enough room for them to fit, but not too much spare space. Throw in the garlic cloves, thyme and rosemary. Pour in the beer – any will do, use one you like – then top up with the beef bone stock until the liquid almost covers the ribs. Cover tightly with foil and cook in the oven for 3 hours, turning the ribs halfway through.
After 3 hours remove the foil and increase the oven temperature to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6 and cook for another 10 minutes. This will give them a burst of heat and get the fat to crisp up a bit while staying beautifully soft on the inside. The ribs will just fall apart.
Spoon some of the sweet sticky juices over the ribs and serve with buttery polenta or mash and a dollop of English mustard.