Braised Short Ribs
While I am not Jewish, I deeply identify with Jewish food. Slow roasted brisket is a beautiful thing. Latkes are high on my potato love list. I do not need to convince you of the greatness of a bagel. So this year, instead of cooking my usual Easter dinner without the usual company which would surely result in melancholy and too much wine, I decided to try something completely different. Inspired by Alison Roman’s Passover menu published last Easter/Passover season in the New York Times, I created an homage to the traditional Seder menu. It was certainly not traditional; growing up Catholic, I do not presume to know the traditions of another religion. But this meal was delicious! I included the Matzo ball soup and stewed carrots. Instead of the usual kugel I made my favorite latkes. I included a parsley salad instead of the typical raw parsley. And rather than cook a brisket for my small family, I went with these braised short ribs. Slow roasted for most of the day, they filled the kitchen with a deep, savory aroma. They turned out perfectly tender. And the best part of this recipe is that the short ribs can be made almost entirely the day before, making it an easy but impressive choice for company. I may never go back to the honey baked ham.
Braised Short Ribs
Alison Roman’s Passover Menu, New York Times
Serves 6-8
5 pounds bone-in short ribs, at least 1 1/2 inches thick
3 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
2 large yellow onions, quartered
2 heads garlic, halved crosswise
3 Tbsp honey
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 cups chicken or beef broth
4 thyme sprigs
2 cups parsley leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
1/2 bunch chives, finely chopped
Flaky sea salt
3 lemons, halved, for juicing
Season short ribs with salt and pepper at least 1 hour (at room temperature) in advance and preferably overnight.
Heat oven to 300 degrees. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Working in batches sear short ribs until deeply golden brown on both large flat sides, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer short ribs to a large plate or cutting board and drain all but about 2 tsp fat from the pot. Discard remaining fat. Repeat with remaining short ribs. Drain all fat from the pot and carefully wipe out. (No need to wash, just get rid of any scorched bits.)
In the same pot over medium-high, heat remaining 2 Tbsp oil, and add onions and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions and garlic get a bit of colour, 4-5 minutes. Add the honey and cook, stirring until it starts to bubble furiously turning a darker amber brown and sticking to the bottom of the pot as it cooks.
Add vinegar and soy sauce, and, using a wooden spoon or spatula, scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pot. Bring to a strong simmer and cook to reduce by about half, 5 to 8 minutes. Add broth and thyme, and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper and add short ribs back in, bone-side up, making sure they are as submerged in that braising liquid as possible. Cover the pot and place in the oven. Do not look at it or remove the lid for 3 hours.
After 3 hours, check the short ribs, they should be extremely tender and nearly falling apart, almost having the jiggly texture of a baked custard or Jell-O. (If not continue roasting another 20 to 30 minutes). Remove from oven.
At this stage, you can remove the lid and using a spoon, carefully skim as much of the top layer of fat as possible. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees, and return the pot to the oven, uncovered, to let the short ribs brown a bit on top and thicken the braising liquid a bit, another 35 to 45 minutes. (Alternatively, you can remove the short ribs from the oven, let them cool at room temperature and place in them in the fridge, overnight. When ready to serve, remove them from the fridge and using a spoon, scrape off the solidified fat on the top layer. Return the short ribs covered, to a 325 degree oven until totally warmed through, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the lid and increase temperature to 425 degrees, and continue to cook, uncovered, to let the short ribs brown a bit on top and reduce the braising liquid, another 35 to 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine parsley and chives in a small bowl and season with flaky salt.
Remove the short ribs from the oven and serve straight from the pot or transfer them to a shallow bowl or plate with high sides, spooning the braising liquid over. Squeeze lemons over, letting the juice season the braising liquid. Sprinkle with parsley mixture before serving.