Beef short ribs

The caveman cut! These sticky ribs are great for impressing and sharing with friends. It might seem like a lot of effort but trust us, it’s worth it. The meat is tender and juicy and falls off the bone. It’s great when shredded and served in tacos or buns.

5 hours

4

Hard

• 1.5kg Field & Flower beef ribs
• 2tbsp groundnut oil
• 4 star anise
• 3 cinnamon quills
• ½ tsp black peppercorns
• 1tsp Szechuan peppercorns
• 4 knobs fresh ginger, peeled
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• 6 spring onions, halved
• 2-3 red chillies, halved
• Rind of 1 orange
• 125ml dark soy sauce
• 125ml light soy sauce
• 75ml mirin
• 50ml rice wine vinegar
• 200ml water
• 2tbsp dark brown muscavado sugar

Garnish:
• 1 red chilli, de-seeded and thinly sliced
• 3 spring onions, cut into thirds
• Fresh coriander
• 1 cucumber
• 2tbsp mirin
• 2tbsp rice wine vinegar
• ½tsp caster sugar
• ½tsp white sesame seeds
• ½tsp black sesame seeds

1. Preheat your oven to 160°C/Gas 3.

2. Split the beef ribs into individual ribs by cutting in between the bones. Render off the fat in a hot pan.

3. Heat the groundnut oil in a large saucepan or casserole dish. Add the star anise, cinnamon, peppercorns, garlic and ginger and cook until aromatic. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to the boil.

4. Add the ribs, place the lid on and cook in the oven for 3 ½ hours (stirring at regular intervals), or until the meat falls apart.

5. To make the pickled cucumber, slice the cucumber into shards by holding it at an angle, resting the end on a chopping board. Slice in a downward motion and rotate the cucumber as you go. Mix the mirin, rice wine vinegar and sugar in a bowl. Slice the chilli before adding it, along with the cucumber, to the bowl. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and coriander leaves.

6. When the beef ribs have cooked, remove from the oven. Use tongs to remove the ribs from the sauce and set aside in a bowl – the bones will probably get left behind.

7. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a sauce pan. Reduce by one third over a medium heat and taste, adding a little more sugar if necessary. Pour over the ribs, garnish with some steamed spring onions and serve with the pickled cucumber and some sticky rice.