BRAISED SHORT RIBS RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Liberally sprinkle all sides of the short ribs with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the oil. Sear the short ribs on all sides until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side, working in batches if necessary. Set aside on a plate.
• Add the carrots, celery, garlic and onions to the pot with the short rib drippings and sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables until they turn golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Add in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more. Add the wine and deglaze the pot, scraping up any developed fond (brown bits) from the bottom. Bring the wine to a simmer and add some salt and pepper. Add the thyme, bay leaf and short ribs and any leftover juices from the plate. Cover the pot, transfer to the oven and cook, turning the short ribs once after about 1 hour of cooking, until the meat is fork-tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove the short ribs from the braising liquid and set aside to cool slightly.
• Skim the fat off the top of the braising liquid. Strain the liquid and bring it to a simmer until reduced by half, about 8 minutes (you should have about 2/3 cup of reduced sauce). Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve the ribs and sauce over creamy polenta.

Steps:

• Prepping the meat: There is a skin-like membrane on the back of the ribs. The easiest way to remove it is to start in the middle of the rack and work a table knife or a screwdriver underneath the skin, going all the way across and teasing it up. Slide your forefinger in there and bring your thumb across, holding the rib down and pulling the membrane straight up. It'll peel from the middle.
• Once you start cooking the ribs, you can't leave the pit or grill unattended for any more than about 20 minutes. You'll need to continually check that the temperature remains between 250 and 275 degrees F at all times in the grill. If it gets too hot, shut the top and bottom drafts to smother the fire. If some of the coals appear to be glowing red, that will cause a hot spot. Don't cook the ribs directly over the hot spot, move them to a different, cooler, part of the grill. If the temperature dips too low, move the ribs to a hot spot for a while and add some hot coals.
• Sprinkle ribs liberally with Magic Dust, coating both sides. Put them in a shallow pan or on a cookie sheet and cover them with clear plastic wrap or a lid. Refrigerate them until you're ready to use them. I recommend letting them marinate for at least 1 hour. At the restaurant we dust the ribs up to a day in advance.
• Place ribs on grill and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. About 10 minutes before you remove the ribs from the grill, mop them with sauce. When you take them off the grill, mop again with sauce and sprinkle some more Magic Dust on them. Serve immediately. Serves 4 very hungry people or you can cut the rack in half to serve 6 to 8 people who have a regular appetite.
• Mix all ingredients and store in a tightly covered container. You'll want to keep some in a shaker next to the smoker, grill, or stove. Keeps indefinitely but won't last long.
• Combine the ketchup, rice vinegar, apple juice or cider, cider vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic powder, white pepper, cayenne, and bacon bits in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the apple, onion, and bell pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes or until it thickens slightly. Stir it often. Allow to cool, then pour into sterilized glass bottles. A clean glass jar that used to contain mayonnaise or juice works real well. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.