Beef short ribs is a cut that responds well to slow cooking, resulting in a rich and tasty dish. Winter is the perfect time of year to try them.
Once destined for the “mincer”, beef short ribs now have a new lease of life as one of the “fashionable” meat cuts, and yet are still economical to buy.
Our beef short ribs are cut into single-rib portions. There’s a thick layer of meat on one side of the bone which in turn is covered in a layer of fat. This layer of fat is essential in the cooking process so there’s no need to cut it off. It helps create a glaze over the cooked ribs.
Because the ribs come from the part of the animal that does all the hard work they are a tougher cut, that responds superbly to slow cooking. This also means they are high in collagen, which is the long, inflexible protein that holds meat fibres together.
To ensure your beef short ribs are tender and succulent they need to be cooked with moisture (stock, wine, water, etc). The liquid helps to melt and dissolve the collagen into gelatin, and melt the layer of fat.
Slow cooking at a low temperature is best to avoid the meat fibres becoming stressed.