SHORT RIBS SAUERBRATEN6 to 8 meaty short ribs of beef, cut lengthwise between the bones and trimmed of excess fat
FOR THE MARINADE:2 1/4 cups cider vinegar, divided use
2 cups water
2 large cloves garlic, lightly crushed
1 cup sliced onions
2 bay leaves
6 black peppercorns
5 whole cloves
FOR THE SAUCE:1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups beef broth
2 cups good quality chili sauce
1 cup dry red wine
Zest of 1 lemon removed in 1 long strip
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
FOR THE SHORT RIBS:1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill leaves
8 small sprigs fresh dill, for garnish
TO MARINATE THE SHORT RIBS:Place short ribs in a large bowl. Combine 2 cups of the vinegar with 2 cups water, the garlic, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, and cloves in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium, and simmer to blend the flavors, 5 minutes. Pour this over the ribs. Allow to cool to room temperature; stir to redistribute the ribs, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
TO PREPARE THE SAUCE:Combine remaining 1/4 cup vinegar and the brown sugar in a small heavy saucepan and bring it to a slow boil over medium heat. Cook until thick and bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in the broth. Add the chili sauce, wine, lemon zest, ginger, and cinnamon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer over medium-low heat to blend the flavors, 10 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature, then transfer to a container and refrigerate, covered, overnight.
THE FOLLOWING DAY:TO PREPARE THE SHORT RIBS:Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Remove short ribs from marinade and pat them dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and then dust with flour (shake it through a fine-mesh strainer), shaking off any excess. Set ribs aside. Strain marinade and set it aside, covered, in the refrigerator.
Heat olive oil in a large heavy flameproof casserole over medium heat. Brown ribs well on all sides, in batches if necessary, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer them to a plate.
Discard oil in the casserole and return the ribs to it. Cover ribs with the sauce you made the day before. Bring ribs and sauce to a boil over medium heat.
Cover pot and bake in 350-degree oven for 2 hours, occasionally skimming off any excess fat that accumulates on the surface with a metal spoon. Uncover and bake until the meat is falling off the bones, about 30 minutes more.
Remove ribs from sauce and, when cool enough to handle, remove and discard bones and any excess gristle or fat. Pour sauce through a gravy separator to remove the fat, and return the defatted sauce to the pot. If sauce seems too thick, add some of the reserved marinade to thin it.
Return ribs to the pot and cover them with the sauce. Reheat over medium-low heat and, just before serving, stir in the chopped dill. Garnish each serving with a dill sprig.
TO MAKE AHEAD:You can make the sauerbraten to this point up to a day in advance. Store, covered, in the refrigerator and reheat in a 350-degree oven for 25 minutes, thinning the sauce with some of the reserved marinade if it's too thick. Stir in the chopped dill just before serving, and garnish each serving with a dill sprig.
Servings: 8.
Adapted from source:
Celebrate! by Sheila Lukins
