Braised Short Ribs with Pear, Ginger, and Star Anise
Photo: Victor Protasio
This Chinese-inspired take on short ribs gets its freshness from Bosc pears cooked in the sauce, plus more pears on top in a raw relish. If you have time, cook the recipe a day ahead. The flavors will be deeper, and you can more easily lift the fat from the sauce.
How to Make It
Step 1
1
Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly season short ribs with 1/4 tsp. pepper.
Step 2
2
Heat oil in a 5- to 6-qt. dutch oven or other heavy ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add short ribs and brown on all sides, turning as needed, about 15 minutes total. Transfer short ribs to a plate; set aside. Discard all but 1 tbsp. fat from pot.
Step 3
3
Reduce heat to medium and add shallots and coarsely chopped pears to pot; cook, stirring, until shallots are softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, star anise, and chile flakes.
Step 4
4
Increase heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Return short ribs to pot, cover, and braise in oven 1 hour. Turn meat over and cook until tender but not falling apart, 45 minutes to 1 hour more.
Step 5
5
Meanwhile, stir diced pears and rice vinegar together. Chill pear relish, covered, until used.
Step 6
6
Uncover meat and continue to oven-braise, turning ribs once or twice, until sauce is reduced by about two-thirds and meat is very tender when pierced, 40 to 45 minutes more. With a slotted spoon, transfer ribs to a plate. Spoon fat from sauce.
Step 7
7
Stir cilantro and green onions into diced pear relish and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon rice into wide soup plates and set short ribs on top. Spoon a little sauce over meat, then add some pear relish. Serve remaining relish and sauce on the side.
Step 8
8
Make ahead: Through step 6, up to 1 day, chilled (with meat in sauce), but don't remove fat. Before serving, spoon off and discard fat from chilled sauce. Reheat on stove, covered, over medium-low heat until meat is hot (an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 150°), 20 to 30 minutes.
Ingredients
4 bone-in English beef short ribs, each 4 to 5 in. long, 2 1/2 to 3 lbs. total
About 1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 cups chopped shallots
4 cups peeled, cored Bosc pears (2 to 3 pears), half coarsely chopped, half cut into 1/2-in. dice
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 star anise
1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
4 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
Kosher salt
Steamed white rice
Directions
Step 1
1
Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly season short ribs with 1/4 tsp. pepper.
Step 2
2
Heat oil in a 5- to 6-qt. dutch oven or other heavy ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add short ribs and brown on all sides, turning as needed, about 15 minutes total. Transfer short ribs to a plate; set aside. Discard all but 1 tbsp. fat from pot.
Step 3
3
Reduce heat to medium and add shallots and coarsely chopped pears to pot; cook, stirring, until shallots are softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, star anise, and chile flakes.
Step 4
4
Increase heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Return short ribs to pot, cover, and braise in oven 1 hour. Turn meat over and cook until tender but not falling apart, 45 minutes to 1 hour more.
Step 5
5
Meanwhile, stir diced pears and rice vinegar together. Chill pear relish, covered, until used.
Step 6
6
Uncover meat and continue to oven-braise, turning ribs once or twice, until sauce is reduced by about two-thirds and meat is very tender when pierced, 40 to 45 minutes more. With a slotted spoon, transfer ribs to a plate. Spoon fat from sauce.
Step 7
7
Stir cilantro and green onions into diced pear relish and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon rice into wide soup plates and set short ribs on top. Spoon a little sauce over meat, then add some pear relish. Serve remaining relish and sauce on the side.
Step 8
8
Make ahead: Through step 6, up to 1 day, chilled (with meat in sauce), but don't remove fat. Before serving, spoon off and discard fat from chilled sauce. Reheat on stove, covered, over medium-low heat until meat is hot (an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 150°), 20 to 30 minutes.
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