STICKY ASIAN BEEF SHORT RIBS

A comfort meal on a cold evening! Fall off the bone shortrib with a sticky Asian sauce.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
500 g beef short ribs, English cut, either left in long pieces or cut into smaller chunks
finely sliced red chilies, to serve
roughly chopped coriander leaves, to serve (winter nothing in garden)
sea salt
Braising sauce:
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
4 tablespoons tomato sauce
4 tablespoons of your choice of BBQ sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup beef stock
¼ teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 150°C.

Combine the ingredients for the braising sauce.

Heat the oil in a large pan over high heat. Season each short rib with salt and sear in batches until dark brown. Place seared pieces into an oven-proof casserole dish or roasting tin that fits all the beef pieces in one snug layer.

Pour the braising sauce over the short ribs. Cover tightly with foil and roast for 2½ to 3 hours or until the beef is fork tender.

Remove the short ribs from the oven and take off the foil. Carefully turn the short ribs so both sides are coated in the sauce. Return the short ribs to the oven and switch the grill to high for another 10 minutes.

Transfer the short ribs to a serving dish.
Remove excess beef fat from the top of the braising liquid by placing kitchen paper towel gently on the surface of the sauce. Lift off the paper with tongs and discard. Repeat until most of the beef fat has been soaked up.

Reheat the braising liquid if necessary and pour over the short ribs. Sprinkle with chilies and coriander and serve.

We served it with white rice. Sweet potato and mixed bean salad on the side.

Recipe and photo: Elize de Kock