Pomegranate Braised Short Ribs

Name: Pomegranate Braised Short Ribs
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4-5 lbs short ribs, English cut; 2 Tbsp salt; 1 onion, diced; 1 carrot, diced; 2 Tbsp ras el hanout; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 4 cups pomegranate juice; 1 cup water; 1 Bou beef bouillon cube; 1 cup pitted prunes, halved; 1 handful cilantro, roughly chopped; 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds; ras el hanout; 12 green cardamom pods; 4 black cardamom pods; 4 tsp cumin seed; 4 tsp coriander seed; 2 tsp anise; 1/2 tsp allspice berries; 1/2 tsp black peppercorns; 4 tsp ground ginger; 2 tsp Aleppo pepper; 2 tsp ground nutmeg; 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Lance Wilson @lance_wilson

Nyack, NY

This recipe was adapted from cooks illustrated. It takes a while to make, but is worth it, and a little different from the traditonal french braised ribs. It uses Morrocan ras el hanout to spice the ribs which is a mix of north African spices. I usually find the mix in the store, but if you can't, then I've included my recipe (grind all spices in a spice mill), and in a pinch garam masala would work. I like to serve this with apricot couscous.

Lance Wilson @lance_wilson

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Ingredients

6 servings

4-5 lbsshort ribs, English cut
2 Tbspsalt
1onion, diced
1carrot, diced
2 Tbspras el hanout
4 clovesgarlic, minced
4 cupspomegranate juice
1 cupwater
1Bou beef bouillon cube
1 cuppitted prunes, halved
1 handfulcilantro, roughly chopped
1 Tbsptoasted sesame seeds
ras el hanout
12green cardamom pods
4black cardamom pods
4 tspcumin seed
4 tspcoriander seed
2 tspanise
1/2 tspallspice berries
1/2 tspblack peppercorns
4 tspground ginger
2 tspAleppo pepper
2 tspground nutmeg
2 tspground cinnamon

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Steps

1

Heat the oven to 450°F. If you have a convection oven use it.
2

In a large roaster or sheet pan, lay out the short ribs, bone side down. Season liberally with salt.
3

Roast in the oven 40-45 min until browned and the fat has rendered. Remove the ribs from the pan, pour the fat off into a glass bowl, and return the ribs to the pan and roast another 10-15 min.
4

While the ribs are roasting prepare the other ingredients.
5

When the ribs are about 5 minutes from done, heat 1 Tbsp of the beef fat in a dutch oven over high heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook until translucent (~5 min)
6

Add the garlic and ras el hanout and cook another 30 sec.
7

Add the water and beef bouillon and turn the heat to low.
8

Remove the ribs from the pan and add them to the dutch oven. Add the prunes on top. Turn the oven down to 300°F.
9

In the still hot pan, add the pomegranate juice.
10

Scrape the fond up with a whisk or wooden spoon.
11

Add the pomegranate to the ribs.
12

Cover and place in the oven for 2-2.5 hours.
13

Remove the dutch oven from oven.
14

Place the ribs in a bowl.
15

Add the braising liquid, veggies, and any meat scraps to a blender and blend until smooth.
16

Return the sauce to the dutch oven, and add the ribs to coat. Toss with cilantro and sesame seeds.