Slow Braised Orange Short Ribs
January 27, 2005
I decided that I was tired of the same old braised meat dish and wanted to brighten it up a little. So, I chose to braise these short ribs in orange juice instead of the traditional red wine and beef stock option. A little white wine at the beginning helps to dissolve all those alcohol-soluble flavours and deepens the dish. Be sure to garnish these with the suggested orange zest - it really ties everything together.
Slow Braised Orange Short Ribs
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 lbs. short ribs
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
½ cup white wine
1 ½ cups orange juice
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
Directions:
1. Pre-heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the olive oil to the pan. When the oil is hot and smoking slightly, season the short ribs well with salt and pepper and sear (in batches if necessary), getting a good brown color on all sides of the ribs.
2. When they are nicely browned, remove the ribs from the pan and set aside. Pour off and discard the fat that has accumulated in the pan. Add the onion and celery to the pan and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaf and continue to cook for another minute or two.
3. Add the wine to the pan and let this simmer and reduce until it has almost entirely disappeared. Add the orange juice and soy sauce and bring to a simmer. Return the browned short ribs to the pan. Reduce the heat to very very low and cover the pan with a well-fitting lid.
4. Let the ribs simmer for 5 hours or so on the stovetop or in the oven at 300º F. The meat should be so tender that the meat falls off the bone. Remove the ribs from the pan and set aside, covered with foil. Increase the heat below the sauce and reduce the braising liquid until it has thickened slightly and is almost glaze-like. Return the ribs to the pan and turn to coat in the sauce.
5. Serve the ribs over egg noodles and spoon the sauce on top. The sauce can be strained if desired for a smooth finish.
Serves 4 - 6