Random Yummy

The beef short rib is a popular cut of beef. It’s taken from the forequarter of the cow after the brisket is removed. This cut is made up of the rib bone and layers of rib meat and fat. Short ribs come from the plate and flank area of the cow. They are chunky, with plenty of meat surrounding the bones and dense fat marbling throughout.

In terms of cooking and eating characteristics, short ribs are known for their rich flavour, tender texture, and high fat content. This flavoursome fat and connective tissue mean that beef short ribs need long, slow cooking to become tender. Once fully cooked, they are particularly soft — the meat can be easily pulled away from the bones with little effort and cut through with a spoon. They are best cooked low and slow, either by smoking, braising, or a mix of the two. They are beefy, moist, unctuous and full of flavour. On the bone, the collagen-rich meat becomes incredibly tender. Pot-roasting, braising, and smoking are all popular cooking methods.

As for what this cut of beef is called in other countries, the flanken style of short ribs, which is a thinner cut across the rib bones, is common in making Korean-style barbecue. In the United States, this cut is often referred to as “beef chuck short ribs” or “beef plate short ribs” depending on the specific area from which they are cut. In the UK, they are also known as “Jacob’s ladder”. The names can vary based on the specific cut and preparation method.

An alternative way to cook beef short ribs is to use a pressure cooker. This is what I usually use to cook them. I also add some beef bones for extra flavour in the cooking liquor.

I store the cooking liquor and will use it for subsequent pressure cooking, or I will add a few tablespoons to a cup of boiled water and enjoy the broth as a warm beverage.

Ingredients

• Beef short ribs
• Beef bones
• Salt

Equipment

• Pressure cooker
• Frypan

Instructions

1. Unwrap the beef short ribs and beef bones and place them in the pressure cooker.
2. Add some salt and about a cup of water.
3. Cook for 1 hour.
4. Open the lid when the pressure inside the pressure cooker is equal to the pressure outside the pressure cooker.
5. Remove the meat and bones.
6. Separate the meat from the bones and put the meat into a bowl.
7. Sieve the cooking liquor and keep in containers.
8. Refrigerate the cooking liquor.

Serving options

Eating cold

If you’re in a rush, beef short rib meat can be eaten straight from the refrigerator. If you want to, you can add more salt for seasoning.

Eating hot

This is my favourite way to eat the meat.

1. Dice the cold meat.
2. Place the meat into a cold frypan.
3. Add a few tablespoons of tapwater.
4. Bring the water to a simmer and gently press the diced meat so that it falls apart.
5. When the water has boiled away, there should be sufficient fat from the meat to keep it moist.
6. If you want something creamy, at this stage you could add some butter and/or pure (not thickened) cream.
7. If you like you can top with a little grated cheese.

Photographs