Citrus-Braised Short Ribs

When I was a chef at Daniel Boulud’s restaurant Daniel, I cooked four hundred pounds of short ribs a week. For a long time after I left, I couldn’t even look at a short rib. Recently, I have come back to them and remembered why they are so great—achieving rich and complex flavor in the meat and braising liquid takes barely any effort at all. Here, orange wedges cut the meat’s richness with the pulp’s tang and the rind’s pleasantly bitter edge, and they are delicious eaten along with the carrots in the sauce. Simple tweaks, like changing the braising base, make short ribs ideal for any dinner party menu.

The hint of chocolate in Urfa pepper is echoed by cocoa powder in this spice rub. Both bring out short ribs’ richness, which is countered by tangy sumac and pomegranate juice.

Citrus-Braised Short Ribs with Star Anise and Cocoa

Author: Lior Lev Sercarz, from "Mastering Spice" by Lior Lev Sercarz
Servings: 8-12
Category: Main Course

Ingredients

11⁄4 teaspoons caraway seeds (5 grams)
3 whole star anise (3 grams)
1 tablespoon plus 1⁄4 teaspoon sumac (10 grams)
2 teaspoons Urfa pepper (4 grams)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (8 grams)
Finely grind the caraway and star anise together and immediately mix with the sumac, Urfa, and cocoa powder.
41⁄2 pounds bone-in short ribs, preferably 2 × 4-inch pieces with more meat than bone on each one
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil
1 orange
2 medium yellow onions
3 medium carrots
6 medium or 4 large garlic cloves
2 cups unsweetened pomegranate juice

Directions

To make the short ribs: Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper.
Put the ribs on one of the prepared pans and season them very generously with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat a large Dutch oven or other heavy oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to coat the bottom (2 to 3 tablespoons). Add enough short ribs to fit in a single layer. Sear to evenly brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to the other sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining short ribs.
While the short ribs are browning, cut the oranges into 11⁄2-inch wedges (with their peel). Cut the onions into 1-inch chunks. Scrub and trim the carrots and cut one at an angle into a 1-inch piece. Rotate the carrot and cut another 11⁄2-inch wide triangular piece at an angle. Repeat with the remaining carrots. Peel the garlic and cut any large cloves in half lengthwise.
Once the meat is done browning, add the oranges, onions, carrots, and garlic to the Dutch oven. Stir well and sprinkle with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have a little color, 5 to 8 minutes
Sprinkle two-thirds of the spice blend over the orange mixture. Reduce the heat to low and stir to evenly coat. Don’t let the spices burn. While stirring, add the pomegranate juice in a steady stream, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan (you want the cocoa to gradually thicken the liquid without clumping). Raise the heat to high and bring to a simmer.
While the liquid heats, sprinkle the remaining one-third of the spice mixture all over the short ribs. Nestle the ribs in the Dutch oven bone- side up. Pour 1⁄2 cup water into the sheet pan that held the meat, scrape up any spices and browned bits, and pour it all into the pot. Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to the oven.
Bake until the bones lift right out of the tender meat, 3 to 31⁄2 hours. Discard the bones and cartilage and serve hot.