Rhea's Rundown
Nothing says love like juicy, tender, fall-off-the-bone short ribs, at least in my world. A can of soda lends a hand in making a rich sauce with great body. It’s no surprise such a flavorful sauce is produced from this list of winners: mounds of fresh garlic and ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, own sugar, orange rind, anise, and sambal oelek. Don’t worry; I didn’t know what that last one was either. Sambal oelek is a mixture of chili, garlic, vinegar, lime zest, and other ingredients, and was not available at Whole Foods. If you are set on using it, I would suggest buying it online. I ended up throwing in a little chili paste and fresh lime juice to try to compensate. For more help on where to find star anise check out the Spiced Black Plums from the Healthier Halloween column. This meal requires minimal work—let’s not forget the slow cooker is involved—for a big payoff, and will be a delight to remember.
Ingredients – Serves 8
- 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
- 8 (6-ounce) bone-in beef short ribs, trimmed
- ¾ cup unsalted beef stock
- 1/3 cup lower-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons own sugar
- 2 tablespoons sambal oelek
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (12-ounce) can cola
- 1 star anise
- 1 (4 x 1-inch) orange rind strip
- 4 cups (1-inch) diagonally cut carrot
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 cups diagonally cut snow peas
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil; swirl to coat. Add half of beef to pan; cook 10 minutes, turning to own on all sides. Remove beef from pan; place in a 6-quart electric slow cooker. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and beef. Add stock and next 9 ingredients (through rind) to slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or until beef from pan; keep warm. Discard star anise and rind.
2. Skim fat from surface of cooking liquid; discard fat. Pour cooking liquid into a large saucepan; ing to a simmer. Add carrot to pan; cook 20 minutes or until carrot is almost done. Combine ¼ cup water and cornstarch, stirring with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture to pan; ing to a boil. Stir in peas; cook 2 minutes. Place 1 short rib in each of 8 shallow bowls. Ladle ½ cup sauce and vegetables over each serving; sprinkle evenly with cilantro.
“Sweet and Tangy Short Ribs.” Cooking Light: All-Time Top-Rated Recipes. Time Inc. Lifestyle Group 2014. Print.
Rhea Torreon
