BRAISED SHORT RIBS // AN EASY, HOLIDAY MEAL

Hello, it’s been ages since I popped in here. If you’re visiting—thank you, I’m so grateful.

I wanted to talk about holiday menus today—do you have strong feelings about holiday foods? (As in: Easter calls for ham, it’s not passover without Aunt Betty’s macaroons or Christmas without an epic Bûche de Noël?)

I do not.

In part this comes from 20 years of developing holiday recipes for magazines and books (editors are always pushing for the new way to do holidays)—but even more so from living in New York for my entire adult life, away from my family. I’ve spent many holidays—especially Easter—with friends, at various potluck style buffets that just as easily might include ham and honey biscuits as it does the famous Konbi’s Japanese Style Egg Sandwich, Hot Cross Buns, Kimchi, and Zalabya (beautiful, rose-water laced donuts often served during Ramadan).

It’s something I love about New York.

See, I learned living away from home all those years that there are many ways to holiday, and holiday well, in any season. In my newsletter this week—I’m sharing a little holiday formula I developed for myself when I’m hosting or planning a holiday, to keep it flexible and low stress.

ONE KEY PART of the formula is what I call the CENTERPIECE: a super-star, highly flavorful and big on satisfaction kind of dish—with accompanying salads, sides, breads, drinks and of course, dessert. The centerpiece, traditionally, could be a giant ham or rack of lamb, yes—but in my opinion, for the most successful gatherings, the centerpiece should be something simpler: delicious, low-stress, easy to serve and with plenty to go around.

Braised Short Ribs—especially ones laced with ginger, rice vinegar, garlic and soy sauce—fit the bill beautifully. They are fall-off-the-bone tender, decadent but with the richness cut over soft white Basamati rice* with crisp radishes or snap peas. Ideally a holiday centerpiece also covers a few bases in terms of dietary restrictions (this one, for example, won’t help with Vegetarians, but works for anyone Dairy or Gluten-Free).

But this dish—OH THIS DISH—do not reserve it for holidays alone. It’s an amazingly fast, full-flavored weeknight meal (one you could even make in an Instant Pot) but special enough to star on the holiday table, whether you celebrate Easter, Ramadan or Passover this time of year, or just the coming of Spring.

In the interest of time and space, I’m sticking clean to the main course here—but hop on over to my newsletter on SUBSTACK for the rest of the n0-stress holiday formula and tons of menu ideas. Come join us—it’s a lovely place where I can be paid fairly for my work, and where you can count on new recipes in your inbox each week. SIGN UP, HERE.

xx SARAH

[RECIPE BELOW]

BRAISED SHORT RIB SUPPER

Reprinted from Every Day Is Saturday by Sarah Copeland with permission by Chronicle Books

PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES

TOTAL TIME: 3 HOURS 30 MINUTES, OR 8 HOURS IN THE SLOW COOKER

SERVES 4 TO 6

If you’re going to take the time to make a proper meat-and-potatoes (or meat-and-rice) kind of dinner, make it the most melt-off-the-bone meal you can think of. This one is king of the simple but spectacular, the duh dinner you never thought of and wish you had. It’s a breeze, and so big on flavor and payback, I bet it makes it into your permanent files, too.

1 onion, sliced

4 garlic cloves, smashed

¼ cup (60 ml) rice vinegar

¼ cup (60 ml) Tamari (gluten-free) or low-sodium soy sauce

2 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger

2 Tbsp coconut sugar or dark brown sugar

1 tsp red pepper flakes

3 lb (1.4 kg) beef short ribs, English (or flanken) style or Korean cut

2 cups (240 g) warm cooked basmati rice (or any favorite white rice), for serving*

3 globe or watermelon radishes (or a mix), thinly sliced, for serving

Fresh cilantro leaves, for serving

If you have a slow cooker, this is its moment. Grab it, and read on.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) or prepare a 4- to 6-qt (3.5- to 5.4-L) slow cooker.

In a Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid, or your slow cooker, combine the onion, garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, coconut sugar, red pepper flakes, and ¼ cup (60 ml) water. Add the beef and turn with tongs to coat on all sides with the sauce and onion.

Cover and cook until the beef is very tender, 2½ hours in the oven, or on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours in the slow cooker.

When the meat is tender and falling off the bone, skim off and discard any excess fat, leaving the juices behind, with a ladle or spoon (skip this step if you love lots of fatty juices). Spoon the warm rice into shallow bowls or plates. Spoon the beef and sauce over the top, and garnish with the radishes, cilantro, and all the remaining juices.

GOOD TO KNOW

Browning the beef in a little oil in the pan before cooking lends an even deeper flavor and beautiful color to your finished dish. But it’s not imperative to this dish, so skip it if you’re short on time.

GET AHEAD

I use a slow cooker or instant pot to make the ribs while I’m out of the house. (What’s better than coming home to a meal that has made itself?) Make, let cool, and refrigerate the beef in an airtight container for up to 4 days, and reheat on the stovetop over low heat. Prep the radishes hours or days ahead; refrigerate, wrapped in a damp paper towel and then zipped plastic bags, for up to 3 days. Because soft, just-cooked warm rice is always best with this meal, cook it just before serving (or use a rice cooker).

GOOD TO KNOW

To peel ginger easily, use the edge of a spoon to gently scrape away the skin, working around small creases and corners.

*SERVE WITH quinoa or Matzo dumplings, instead of rice—for passover.

*  images belong to Sarah Copeland, and should not be pinned or posted without attribution. *

Sarah Copeland