eagleisland - Posted - 04/10/2011:  06:26:02

I love short ribs, and I usually braise them (whomped up a splendid recipe the other day that I'd be willing to share).  But in that today is beautiful and warm and sunny, and I have some in the fridge, it occurred to me that today might be a splendid day to low-and-slow them on the Weber.

My question:  how long should I let them go?  I'm figuring on keeping the heat low and letting them go for a good long while...

Recommendations welcome!

MY recipe will be posted on request, or after I get a good idea from a BHO pitmaster how long to let these beauties smoke/cook.

BANJOJUDY - Posted - 04/10/2011:  07:07:28

I would love your recipe!

As for cooking on the Weber, you are going to have to be careful and not let the fat drip onto the fire source cause you'll have burned ribs.  AND, if you cook them slowly, the fat will still drip.

However, if you are bent on having fun ni the sun and grilling those ribs, I would do them really slowly for a few hours at the lowest possible heat, but keep a spray bottle of water nearby and a careful watch on what you are doing.

eagleisland - Posted - 04/10/2011:  07:50:51

quote:

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Originally posted by BANJOJUDY

I would love your recipe!

As for cooking on the Weber, you are going to have to be careful and not let the fat drip onto the fire source cause you'll have burned ribs.  AND, if you cook them slowly, the fat will still drip.

However, if you are bent on having fun ni the sun and grilling those ribs, I would do them really slowly for a few hours at the lowest possible heat, but keep a spray bottle of water nearby and a careful watch on what you are doing.

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I'm all about low, slow and indirect heat.

The braise recipe... quite a few ingredients, and a lot of work, but your efforts will be rewarded

Short Ribs with Star Anise and Blood Oranges

3 ½ - 4 pounds meaty short ribs, eight total

2 oz. finely diced pancetta (or fatty country ham)

2 TBS olive oil

2 blood oranges (pomelos or tangerines will work if you can’t get blood orange)

1 large yellow onion, rough chop

2 carrots, rough chop

2 stalks celery, rough chop

1 jalapeno pepper, fresh, cored to remove seeds and membrane, rough chop

6 large cloves garlic, rough chop

1 large ripe tomato

2 tbs tomato paste

2 cloves

2 star anise pods

4 whole allspice berries

2 bay leaves

Generous sprig of fresh thyme

Generous sprig of fresh rosemary

Generous sprig of fresh sage

8 oz dry red wine

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

1 can consommé or  1 ¼ cups well-concentrated beef stock

Salt and pepper

Cornstarch slurry (cornstarch dissolved in cold water) for thickening

Equipment: large skillet; large casserole or dutch oven with tight-fitting lid; cheesecloth; kitchen twine

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Add olive oil to large skillet over low heat.  Add pancetta.  Cook, stirring every once in a while, until fat has been rendered from the pancetta and the crumbles are crisp.  Remove pancetta  and reserve but leave the fat in the pan.

Brown the short ribs in small batches over medium heat in the oil/pancetta fat.  As they brown, remove to a large casserole.  Setting them on their sides should ensure that all will fit.

Wash the blood oranges. Using a paring knife or vegetable peeler, remove the zest in strips.  Juice the oranges and reserve the juice.

Place the zest onto a double-thick layer of cheesecloth, along with the bay leaves, the fresh herbs, the allspice berries, the cloves and the star anise pods.  Bundle together and tie tightly with string.  Add this to the casserole, in the center.

Chop the onion, celery, jalapeno, garlic and carrot.  Cut the tomato in half along its equator, remove the seeds and gelatinous liquid around them.  Holding the cut side against a box grater, grate the tomato flex until the skin is free from all of the meat of the tomato.  Discard the skin.

Once all the ribs are browned and in the casserole along with the spice bag, add the chopped carrot, onion, celery, garlic and jalapeno to the skillet and sweat over medium low heat in the remaining fat.  Stir occasionally.  After about five minutes, add the smoked paprika and the cumin.  Stir constantly.

Add the grated tomato, the tomato paste, the wine and the juice of the blood oranges, stirring.  Add the consommé or stock and bring just to a boil. Scrape the bottom of the pan to ensure that all caramelized ingredients are in your braising liquid. Taste, adjusting salt and pepper, and transfer all to the casserole.  Cover and place in the 350 oven for two to two and a half hours or until a paring knife pierces the meaty part of the short rib easily.

Remove the short ribs from the casserole and set aside.  Remove the spice bag and discard.  Remove the vegetables and puree them in a food mill or food processor (If using a food processor, press the puree through a medium-fine strainer).  Reduce the remaining liquid in the casserole by about 1/3, and then add back in the pureed vegetables (use caution as it’s likely to spatter) and the reserved pancetta crumbles.

Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and thicken the gravy as necessary with cornstarch slurry.  Return the short ribs to the gravy and coat to heat (or bring back to serving temperature if they're cooled).  Serve.

Edited by - eagleisland on 04/10/2011 07:54:30

xomcat - Posted - 04/10/2011:  08:09:22

"how long should I let them go?"

Till they fall off of the fork.

Texasbanjo - Posted - 04/10/2011:  09:00:06

My husband fixes country style ribs on his smoker and he puts them in a large pan so the drippings don't fall into the fire.   He cooks them open for an hour or so to get the smoky flavor and then puts foil around them until they are done.  It's according to how many pounds of ribs he cooks as to how long he cooks them.  I like the above statemet:  "till they fall off the fork".

eagleisland - Posted - 04/10/2011:  16:18:58

Well now, that was an exercise in futility.

Despite best efforts, the temps got away from me and the ribs turned out tough, overcooked, stringy and all around nasty.  If I'd had anything else in the house, they'd have been 86d after first taste.I dread tomorrow morning.

What a disapointment!  And entirely my own fault.  I'll stick the the braise from now on.  The recipe posted  above is good enough to nourish your soul, bring a smile to your face and possibly re-kindle a long-lost love.

Us Nawtheners just don't know how to control smoke heat.  At least, this one doesn't.

Edited by - eagleisland on 04/10/2011 16:22:35

xomcat - Posted - 04/10/2011:  16:54:56

Geez! My problem, when I smoke meat, is keeping the temp "up". I've had to finish more than one butt and brisket in the oven. I am a slave to the meat thermometer, but the fork overrules.

eagleisland - Posted - 04/10/2011:  16:59:55

quote:

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Originally posted by xomcat

"I am a slave to the meat thermometer, but the fork overrules."

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Duuuuuuude.. that's so DEEP.  May become my new mantra.

bubbalouie - Posted - 04/10/2011:  17:27:53

I get where you're coming from Skip!. I made my first gumbo with fresh shucked dungeness crab,local fresh prawns & giant digby scallops.

Some more people showed up so I put the pot back on & I forgot about it . Fried about 2 gallons of goodness to the pot!.

We just bought a cuisinart enameled cast iron dutch oven for 60 bucks at winners. I have seen them for sale for $260.00 !!!!!. (Other brands)

I know a few chefs & they said they don't get why they're so expensive & I got a good deal.

We do short ribs in the electric crock pot & the place smells great when we get home from work!.

pandjlocke - Posted - 04/10/2011:  22:04:51

I have smoked beef short ribs, but just long enough to get some smoke into the meat. They are kinda fatty and beef fat does not take well to low and slow smoking. That's why jerky made from lean meat is better. Beef fat gets rancid and yucky. So I get about an hour smoke into them and then transfer them to a braising liquid until they are done. I'll rub them the night before cooking with some salt, pepper, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, lavender and juniper berries all ground together.My braising liquid is a red wine, beef broth and tomatoes. They come out pretty good.