Malta Braised Short Ribs With Pickled Sweet Peppers And Yucca Mash Food

SMOKED SHORT RIBS WITH PICKLED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Brine ribs: In a large pot, add water and bring to just below boiling. Add salt, bay leaves, honey, and lemons. Simmer 5-6 minutes, until the salt and honey dissolve. Chill completely, about 2 hours. Pour brine into 4-gallon container; submerge short ribs. Seal container and brine for 24-36 hours in the refrigerator.
• Make the Garlic Confit: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a small saucepan over medium to low heat, add garlic cloves, olive oil, lemon peel, and bay leaf. Cover and bake until the garlic is tender and golden, 1-1½ hours.
• Light smoker: Place bunched-up newspaper on the grate of a charcoal smoker. Place chimney starter over the newspaper, then fill with charcoal. Light newspaper, which will in turn light the charcoal. When charcoal is mature, with ashed-over gray embers-this will take 30-45 minutes-remove chimney and pour charcoal into lower grill. Place smoker over base. Remove lid and position grill rack in the middle position of the smoker.
• Begin smoking ribs: Remove ribs from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Season liberally with freshly ground pepper and kosher salt, using hands to adhere seasoning to meat. Place ribs meat-side down on middle rack of smoker. Cover smoker with lid and cook for 35-45 minutes. (Note: You will be checking the ribs 4 or 5 times during the cooking process, at 35-45 minute intervals.)
• For pickled peppers: Place whole onion in top of smoker and cook until it has a "molten" interior, about 3½ hours. Meanwhile, toast spices in saucepan over medium heat until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Add vinegar, water, salt, and sugar, bring to a boil, and cook just until sugar and salt dissolve, 2-3 minutes; then turn off heat. In the meantime, cut a slit down each pepper and pull out the seeds and veins. Place the whole peppers into warm brine. Set aside.
• Check smoker temperature: Thermometer on lid should consistently read 325-350 degrees F during first 1½ hours of smoking. Adjust airflow by opening or closing channel of chimney; more air produces a higher temperature. Keep vents open for smoking short ribs (except on very windy days, when you want to partially open vents to avoid blowing out flames). Smoke should be white and clean with a sweet perfume. If it smells sour or acrid, the fire is too hot. Remove lid and check ribs. Bones should have begun to slightly pull away from flesh. Flesh should show some browning and start of caramelization. Replace lid and continue cooking, another 35-45 minutes.
• For the butter mop: Heat small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ¾ cup of the Garlic Confit. (The rest can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.) Using a whisk, break confit into a chunky paste. Allow to sizzle, 2-3 minutes. Add the lemon peel, then the vinegar, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture becomes a thick paste and vinegar has mostly evaporated, 2 minutes. Add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, whisking with each addition. Bring butter just to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Whisk in mustard and a few grinds of black pepper, and set aside.
• Check temperature and baste ribs: Smoker thermometer should now read 250-275 degrees F. Remove lid and check ribs. At this point, the meat should be very clearly pulling away from the bones, with caramelization all over. To keep bones from burning, place heavy-duty foil directly on the grill and flip ribs so they're lying bone-side down on foil. Baste the meat on top and sides: first with butter mop, then with a layer of Worcestershire sauce. Replace lid of smoker and continue cooking, another 35-45 minutes.
• Check temperature and baste ribs: Ribs have now been smoking for about 2 hours. Smoker temperature should remain at 250-275 degrees F; add more coal to the smoker if necessary. Remove lid and check meat by poking and prodding: the ribs should still feel tense, with a "spongy" texture. Baste liberally with butter mop, then more of the Worcestershire. Turn onion and, using tongs, poke to see if interior is cooked through. (It should feel molten.) Replace lid of smoker and continue cooking, 35-45 more minutes. Repeat step again, checking temperature and basting ribs. Cook another 35-45 minutes.
• Check the ribs and baste: Stick a small knife onto the fattest part of the meat between the bones. The meat should be approaching "fork-tender" status, and developing a mahogany exterior. Baste ribs with butter mop, then more Worcestershire. Vents in the smoker should be fully open, allowing temperature to stay at a high and steady heat. Turn onion and place lid back on smoker. Continue cooking, another 1½ hours.
• Finish ribs and serve: After ribs have been smoking for about 5½ hours, check them by sticking a small knife into fattiest part of the meat, between bones. They should be "barbecue tender," not "braising tender," the interior soft and chewy, with a bark-like exterior. Remove onion. Give cooked ribs one final sear at a high heat, either by placing ribs meat side down on hot grill for 35-45 seconds or by raising temperature of smoker. Then remove ribs from heat. To serve, slice along bone in big pieces and place on a large platter. Scatter olives, hand-torn strips of pickled peppers, and parsley over ribs. Cut onion in half and place alongside ribs. Drizzle olive oil over the dish, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a few dashes of the pickling liquid, and serve.

SLOW BRAISED BEEF SHORT RIBS WITH CHEESY MASH

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 160ºC/320ºF.
• Season the short ribs generously. In a large, oven-proof lidded pot, heat a splash of olive oil then sear the beef ribs until well-browned on all sides.
• Remove from the pot and set aside. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook until soft and translucent.
• Add the garlic and herbs then cook for another 30 seconds before adding the flour.
• Stir to coat the vegetables in the flour then add the wine and stock. Allow to come to a simmer then add the tomatoes and beef short ribs back to the pot. Season well then cover and place in the oven. Allow to braise for 2-3 hours or until the ribs are soft. Add the mushrooms and braise for another 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve.
• To make the cheesy mashed potatoes, Cook the potatoes in a large pot of salted water until they can easily be pierced with a sharp knife.
• Mash the potatoes with the butter and milk then add the cheese and season to taste.
• Serve cheesy mash with braised short ribs.

MINI MEATLOAVES WITH BROCCOLI MASH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Coat 8 cups of a muffin pan with cooking spray. Combine the ground beef and pork, zucchini, onion, breadcrumbs, egg and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl; mix with your hands until combined. Mix the ketchup, brown sugar and soy sauce in a small bowl.
• Divide the meatloaf mixture evenly among the muffin cups, pressing to eliminate any air pockets. Bake 12 minutes. Spread the ketchup mixture on the meatloaves and bake until the glaze sets and the meat is cooked through, about 10 more minutes. Let rest 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water; season with salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain the vegetables and return to the pot. Add the cream cheese and mash well; season with salt. Serve the meatloaves with the broccoli mash and carrot sticks.

SAVORY BRAISED SHORT RIBS

Steps:

• Brown short ribs well on all sides (about 30 minutes) in Dutch oven over medium heat.
• Add broth, onion, 1 c water, peppercorns, worchstershire sauce, garlic, bay leaf and marjoram.
• Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and cook slowly 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until tender, turning once.
• Meanwhile, prepare Horseradish Sauce.
• Place short ribs on serving platter and keep warm.
• Skim fat from cooking liquid.
• Combine flour with 1 /2 cup water, mixing until smooth; combine with cooking liquid, bring to a boil, stirring constantly, reduce heat and cook slowly 3 minutes.
• Strain, if necessary, and serve with short ribs.
• Garnish platter with tomato wedges and parsley.
• Serve Horseradish sauce with short ribs.
• HORSERADISH SAUCE.
• 1/4 Cup Dairy Sour Cream 1 T Prepared Mustard 2 1/2 T Prepared Horseradish 1/8 t Salt Combine sour cream, horseradish, mustard and salt in small bowl.
• Cover and refrigerate.

BRAISED SWEET BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a medium size skillet saute the peppers and onion in the oil over medium heat for 4- 5 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Transfer the peppers and onion to an ovenproof casserole dish and sprinkle with the garlic.
• Pour tomato sauce over and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.
• Place the casserole dish, uncovered, in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
• This is lovely served with grilled steak.

BRAISED SHORT RIBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place flour in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Toss ribs in flour mixture until well coated; shake off excess.
• In a 5- to 8-quart Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot, heat oil over medium-high. Cook ribs in two batches, turning until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes per batch; transfer to a plate.
• Add carrots and onions to pot. Cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits, until vegetables are lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add wine, broth, thyme, and tomatoes (breaking them up). Arrange ribs in pot; bring liquid to a boil. Cover, transfer to oven, and cook 1 hour. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; cook until fork-tender (but not falling apart), about 1 hour more.
• Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer ribs to a plate. Moisten with cooking liquid; cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Strain remaining liquid through a fine-mesh sieve (discard solids); return to pot. Bring to a boil; cook until sauce is slightly thickened and reduced to about 2 cups, 10 to 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve ribs with sauce. (Or return to pot, let cool slightly, cover, and refrigerator up to 1 day.)