I had a large bag of short ribs. Two of the racks were very fatty with very little meat. Now, all short ribs are fatty but they usually include an nice thick piece of meat. These had a thin layer of meat between thick layers of fat.
I could have cut them up and used them to make a great soup but that just seems like a waste of short ribs which are hard to get around here. So, I decided to give them a try.
I started by injecting the meat with some Cajun Injector Garlic Creole. This step isn’t necessary but I had some and I am a flavour junkie.
Then, I gave the ribs a nice rub down with Memphis Rub. I used my own mix. Feel free to use any beef rub you like.
I let these sit in the fridge, uncovered, for 2 hours.
I put chunks of onion, carrot and celery in the pan and added 500 ml (2 cups) of beef stock. I put a rack on the pan and put the ribs on top of it.
I preheated my Louisiana Grills Smoker to 250 F and put the ribs in. I let them smoke for 3 hours. You could put these in a 250 F oven. They will be great but without the smoke taste.
Don’t worry about the bratwurst next to the pan. I needed lunch while the ribs were cooking.
I took the ribs out and dropped the ribs into the pan and added 250 ml (1 cup) of boiling water. I covered the pan with foil. As the smoke wouldn’t get to the ribs, I put them in a 250 F oven instead of back in the smoker. The cold mountain fall had nothing to do with the decision.
After 3 hours in the oven, I took the ribs out of the pan and tented them with foil.
I put the pan juices and the vegetables in a saucepan and brought them to a slow boil for 5 minutes.
I strained the vegetables out and defatted the liquid by putting it in a clear measure and sucking the drippings out from under the fat with a turkey baster.
Measure out 2 cups of the liquid. If you have less than 2 cups liquid, add beef stock to make 2 cups.
I melted 50 ml (1/4 cup) of butter in the roasting pan over medium heat. I stirred in 50 ml (1/4 cup) of flour into the butter and mixed it in. I slowly poured the pan liquid in and whisked over medium heat until the gravy was thickened.
We served the short ribs with mashed potatoes and coleslaw.
The Verdict
This turned out very well even with the very fatty short ribs. The long time cooking under foil rendered a lot of the fat. What was left separated easily from the meat.
The gravy was rich and beefy with a nice herbal undertone from the Memphis rub.
You can make a good meal from a less than optimum piece of meat!
The Old Fat Guy
Ingredients
- 2 racks short ribs
- 500 ml (2 cups) beef stock
- 25 ml (2 tablespoons) Memphis Rub or rub of your choice
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1 carrot, cut in large chunks
- 1 stalk celery, cut in large chunks
- 250 ml (1 cup) boiling water
- 50 ml (1/4 cup) butter
- 50 ml (1/4 cup) flour
Instructions
- Rub the Memphis Rub into the ribs and let the ribs sit in the fridge for 2 hours, uncovered.
- Put the onion, carrots, celery and beef stock in a roasting pan.
- Put a rack over the pan and put the ribs on the rack.
- Put the ribs in a smoker or oven preheated to 250 F.
- Cook for 3 hours.
- Put the ribs in the roasting pan and add the water.
- Cover the pan with foil and cook for 3 hours more.
- Take the ribs out of the pan and tent with foil.
- Pour the liquid in the pan into a saucepan and bring to a low boil for 5 minutes.
- Strain the vegetables out of the liquid.
- Defat the liquid.
- Measure 500 ml (2 cups) of the liquid. If you don't have enough, add beef stock.
- Melt the butter in the roasting pan over medium heat.
- Add the flour and stir to mix to make a roux.
- Slowly pour the liquid into the roux, stirring over medium heat.
- Cook until thickened and smooth.
- Serve the ribs with the gravy.
