Have Farmer’s Market, Will Cook!

This past weekend marked the outdoor opening of the North Union Farmers Market at Shaker Square for the 2010 season. With summer-like weather for the first weekend in April, there was no excuse not to stroll among the market’s vendors and see what kind of goodies we could bring home.

There were only a few fresh fruits and vegetables, but there were plenty of cheeses, grains, baked goods, and meats to make up for it. We bought some fresh eggs from Rolling Meadows Farm in Millersburg, sweet Italian sausage, ground beef patties, beef short ribs from Millgate Farm, and a fresh pecan pie from Gray House Pies that we took to Erie for Easter.

The sausage was the first thing cooked on the grill this season. Served along side a freshly made macaroni salad, it made me feel like it was already summer even though we could still see a flurry or two before we’re completely finished with winter.

Rib Cage Match: Beef vs. Pork

Compared to pork spare ribs, beef short ribs tend to be bigger, more tender and meatier. Short ribs come from the rib, plate, and a small corner of the chuck, with a full slab being about 10 inches square  and from 3-5 inches thick. Each slab has three or four ribs with a layer of boneless meat and fat which is thicker on one end of the slab than on the other.

Most rib cook-off events have pork and beef categories with purists on both sides. Barbecued and/or smoked ribs can take 6-8 hours to cook properly but it’s well worth the time. Many people have only cooked one or the other. Geography and availability have a little to do with it as well. I say choose what you like or what you can get, and most of all, choose to experiment a little. With so many good ways to cook ribs, try them all until you hit on something that you like. I like them both, but tonight, it was time for the short ribs.

In Praise of the Braise

Done properly, braising is one of the easiest and most flavorful ways to prepare meats and vegetables. Dry cooking methods like grilling, roasting, and frying are great at browning. Wet methods like boiling and steaming are best at softening tough food fibers. Braising is the best of wet and dry cooking methods in one. First you brown with dry heat, then you add liquid and simmer until tender. The long, slow simmer enables the tough collagen proteins to dissolve into tender morsels. Braised meats are cooked through; there is no such thing as a medium-rare pot roast, so don’t bother with thermometers or charts of cooking times. The only test for doneness is tenderness, which is why most most recipes give general time guidelines but also stress to cook “until fork tender”. When you can easily stick a fork into the meat, it’s done.

Braising can be done on the stove top or in the oven. Oven braising will take a bit longer, but you don’t have to worry about turning the meat because the heat is coming from all around instead of just the bottom. Best of all, braising enables you to get first class flavor from a less expensive cut of meat.

Braise the Beef and Pass the Tomatoes

Braising is one of the most popular ways to prepare beef short ribs and for good reason. The fat makes for an unctuous, wonderful sauce and the wide, flat bones help carry low, slow heat throughout.  There are many variations to the herbs and vegetables you can add. I chose to modify a recipe from my trusty Beard’s American Cookery. Chef Beard’s recipes are straight-forward yet layered with textures and flavors. No matter what I’m cooking, I find you just can’t go wrong with Chef Beard as a starting point.

Beard recommends browning meats under the broiler before braising instead of pan searing to draw out much of the fat. Broiling also gives you more visual control because you can clearly see the meat’s surface to monitor the browning process. The braise is finished in the oven for even cooking and one-pot convenience.

Here’s the recipe:

First I brined the ribs overnight using 1-1-1/2 ratio of 1/2 gallon of water, 1 /2 cup of salt, and 1/4 cup of brown sugar.  To that I added a little ground red pepper, coriander, and a bay leaf. After removing the ribs from the brine I let them rest in the refrigerator for about 8 hours. The brine isn’t essential, but I’m too in love with the flavor it adds to not do it.

Place the ribs fat side up on a broiler rack and pan, and sprinkle with half the herbs and garlic. Broil about 6 inches from the heat until brown and crisp, flip and sprinkle with the remaining herbs and garlic and brown the opposite side. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. When browned, drain the ribs on paper towels and reserve 2 or 3 tablespoons of the drippings from the broiling pan. Set your oven for 300 degrees.

In the meantime, heat the butter and oil in a heavy, deep-sided pan with a tight fitting lid or a dutch oven and sauté the onions and carrots. Add the ribs to the pan and spoon the reserved drippings over them. Pour the tomatoes over the ribs and sprinkle with basil to taste. Add enough stock to cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil, cover tightly and braise in the oven until the meat is very tender, about 2 hours. Skim the fat from the pan juices and serve with the vegetables and the juices.

The sauce will be rich and layered with the tomato and vegetable flavors and the beef drippings. The carrots are soft, yet have a nice bite and are as sweet as can be. The best part? It tastes even better the next day.

Tagged as: beef short ribs, braised, carrots, Garlic, North Union Farmers Market, onions