I love big, bold flavors in my food and don’t mind waiting ten hours to eat it when it tastes like this!
The method of braising and slow cooking tough cuts of meat like short ribs allows you to experiment with any flavor profile whether it’s a barbecue flavor, Tex-Mex or even Asian-inspired like this one.
After seasoning the ribs, I had my husband put a quick sear on them using our outdoor grill, and then I finished cooking them in the slow cooker. Searing the meat is a key step in the braising process as it not only locks in the juices within the meat it also infuses the meat with your spices, so when they’re done, every bite is permeated with flavor. And any left-over broth is a great base to save and use for another recipe.
Ingredients:
For the ribs:
4 pounds beef short ribs
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons Kosher salt
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Chile powder
1 tablespoon hot Hungarian paprika
1 tablespoon ground Cardamom
For the braising liquid and glaze:
3 cups beef broth
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons hot pepper oil
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 medium onion, finely chopped
Directions:
1) In a small bowl, combine the cardamom, Chile powder, paprika, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.
2) Place the ribs in a baking dish and sprinkle the seasoning mixture generously all over the ribs. Cover the dish and refrigerate overnight.
3) Remove the ribs from the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature.
4) Brush the ribs with the olive oil, then place them on a heated grill. Sear each side for about 3-5 minutes until you have a crust on both sides of each rib.
5) Transfer the ribs to a slow cooker pot and add the onion, garlic, and ginger.
6) Combine the broth, vinegar, brown sugar, fish sauce, sesame oil, and soy sauce in a bowl and then pour it over the ribs.
7) Cover the slow cooker, set it to low temperature, and cook the ribs for 8-10 hours until the meat is fork-tender but not yet falling off the bone.
8) Transfer the cooking liquid from the slow cooker to a heat-safe measuring cup, and let sit until the fat rises to the top. Skim off and discard the fat.
9) Measure out two cups of the braising liquid and pour it into a small sauté pan. Add the hot pepper oil and the hoisin sauce and bring the mixture to a boil until it is slightly reduced and syrupy, about 5-10 minutes. Season the liquid to taste with salt and pepper and remove the pan from the heat.
10) Set your oven to broil.
11) Place the ribs on a foil-lined baking pan and brush generously with the reduced cooking liquid. Broil the ribs until the glaze begins to caramelize and the edges of the meat begin to crisp.
12) To serve, distribute the ribs onto dinner plates and drizzle the ribs with the remaining braising liquid. Garnish with the sliced green onions and chopped cilantro.
