Asian-Inspired Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs

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This dish is great as a family dinner because most of the cooking time is unattended.  So you can spend your time with family or entertaining guests.

Total Time:  45 minutes active (cooking time will vary, but is largely unattended)
Makes:  4 servings

Ingredients

• 3-4 lbs. boneless beef short ribs (or 5 lbs. of bone-in), cut into 3" pieces
• 1 tablespoon garlic salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 1 cup low-sodium shoyu
• ¼ cup rice wine vinegar (unseasoned)
• 3 tablespoons mirin
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 2 lemongrass stalks, halved and smashed
• Handful of dried shiitake mushrooms
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
• 4-5 cups tap water
• 3-4 cups of pearl onions or shallots, peeled and left whole
• Thinly sliced green onion or cilantro for garnish

Directions

Trim most of the fat from the beef and season with garlic salt and pepper.  Heat a large pan on medium-high heat and brown the meat on all sides.  Place meat in a crockpot or other large pot with a cover.  In a bowl, mix the shoyu, vinegar, mirin, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, shiitake mushrooms, brown sugar, fish sauce, and water.  Pour mixture over the meat (liquid should just cover the meat).  Simmer gently until meat is tender (crockpot method can be left on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours).  Remove meat from the braising liquid, transfer the liquid to a medium sauce pot, and bring to a boil.  Add the onion and briskly boil the sauce until onion is very soft, and the liquid is reduced by half.  Pour the sauce back over the meat.

To serve, spoon onto a serving of rice and top with a sprinkle of green onion or cilantro.

Recipe created by Personal Chef Michi Harris