Apr
This is a perfect meal for the cooler months; serve it with mashed potato for the ultimate comfort food, or noodles for something a little lighter, either way, the flavours are delicious!
BBQ SET UP
A kettle BBQ with a lid is great for this, if you have an open grill that’s ok too. For your cookware cast iron cookware with a lid works great. Here I used enamelled cast iron.
FUEL SET UP
This cook is a longer and lower temperature cook of about three hours. I’m not governed by a thermometer here so I generally use a full basket to one side.
Using Firebrand Professional Hardwood Lump I used the ‘Fire IT Up’ charcoal starter to get it going – this is my go-to for lighting fuel, having the lip around the top and a sturdy handle ensures the charcoal pours safely where I want it to go.
When you get to visit your happy place ?
– Nadine
THE RECIPE
This recipe is very forgiving when it comes to measurements and quantities and depends on personal preferences, but here is a general guide that you can adjust to your taste and serving sizes. It seems to be a lot of ingredients, but the method is easy:
- Individually cut beef short ribs with bone
- Salt and pepper
- A dash of neutral oil (I used grapeseed)
- 1 large diced onion
- A chunk of grated fresh ginger (ginger from a jar is fine)
- 4 cloves of roughly chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp Chinese five-spice powder
- Zest of 2 oranges (one in wide strips, the other finely grated as it will be used for serving)
- Juice of the 2 oranges
- 1/4-1/2 cup Shaoxing wine (dry sherry also works)
- 1 cup low salt soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 tbsp sambel olek
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 3 cups low-salt chicken stock or water (add more if needed)
- Corn flour mixed with water to thicken
METHOD
Season the beef ribs with salt and pepper and place on the ‘cool’ side of the grill opposite where the charcoal basket is (indirect). I added some wine barrel wood chunks above the charcoal to add some smoke flavour, if you don’t like the flavour of smoking it’s ok to go directly to the next step.
Place the ribs directly over the charcoal to brown, once browned move back to the indirect side of the grill and place your cooking pan over the charcoal to heat up with a dash of oil.
Add onion, ginger, garlic and five spice and stir until the onions are slightly softened and fragrant.
Add the orange zest strips and half of the orange juice along with the rice wine/sherry, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, sambal olek, hoisin and chicken stock. Stir to combine then add the ribs into the mix.
Bring to a boil and cover then let it go to cook until the ribs are tender. You may need to check to see if more stock/water is needed.
When the ribs are cooked remove them and strain the braising liquid.
Reheat the braising liquid and add the remaining half of the orange juice and reduce if needed.
Add the corn flour to thicken and return the ribs.
Serve sprinkled with the finely grated orange zest.
Have leftovers? Debone the ribs and toss with the braising liquid and make in to tacos!
Blog contributed by Nadine, a regular favourite home cook ripping it up on Instagram. Check out her wonderful BBQ cooking @nadinebg09