Braised Soy and Black Garlic Short Ribs
This recipe is a low-lift effort (almost zero chopping) with maximum reward. Black garlic is the key ingredient (you can find it at specialty markets or online), and it's truly a game changer. Black garlic is made by aging it until it's a deep black color and the flavor loses most of the acrid funk of fresh garlic—what's left is a sweet, caramelized, umami-packed flavor that's simply mouthwatering. Even better, it can be stored in the fridge for quite a long time. I love serving these ribs with steamed jasmine rice to soak up all that sauce, though who am I kidding—polenta or big slices of sourdough bread would be just as delicious.
This recipe is from my cookbook, Family Style: Elegant Everyday Recipes Inspired by Home and Heritage.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
5 pounds bone-in short ribs
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
12 black garlic cloves
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, divided
Neutral oil, for searing
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sriracha
4 cups low-sodium beef stock
4 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish
Grated zest of 1 lemon, for finishing
Flaky sea salt, for finishing
METHOD
Remove the short ribs from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
Season on all sides with kosher salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Mash the black garlic and one tablespoon of the brown sugar in a mortar and pestle until it forms a paste. (Alternatively, you can mash the garlic and brown sugar in a bowl with the back of a spoon.)
In a Dutch oven, heat one tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches so you don't crowd the pan, add the short ribs and sear on all sides until browned and caramelized, 75 to 90 seconds per side, then transfer to a plate. Add more oil as needed to sear all the ribs. When finished, carefully pour off most of the oil from the Dutch oven.
Return all the short ribs to the Dutch oven and add the black garlic paste, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, remaining ¼ cup brown sugar, sriracha and beef stock. If the stock does not cover most of the ribs, add water. Bring to a boil, then cover and place in the oven to roast for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the short ribs are tender and falling off the bone. Uncover and use tongs to move the ribs around a bit. Turn the oven temperature up to 400°F and continue roasting, uncovered, for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the liquid has reduced a bit, the meat is super tender, and everything is a deep, burnished, lovely dark golden brown.
To serve, garnish with the scallions, finish with lemon zest and flaky sea salt, and serve from the Dutch oven.
Have you made it?
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