Braised Beef Short Ribs with Kimchi Dressing and Spicy Pickles

Beef Short Ribs:

• 2 pounds beef short ribs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 large stalk celery, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 4 1/2 cups chicken stock
• One 12-ounce bottle root beer, preferably Abita, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 1 bay leaves
• Juice of 1/2 orange
• 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (optional)
• 1 cup cornstarch (optional)
• Peanut oil for frying (optional)
• Cilantro for garnish
• Roasted peanuts for garnish

Kimchi Dressing:

• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon Korean chile flakes, preferably Wang
• 3/4 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Pickled Cucumbers

Prepare the short ribs: preheat the oven to 450°F. Using a sharp knife, separate the meat from the bones and remove most of the excess fat.  

Place the bones on a sheet tray and roast in the oven until golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer the browned bones to a deep baking dish and set aside. Lower the oven to 225°F. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper.

In a large Dutch oven, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the short ribs one at a time, making sure not to crowd the pan. Working in batches, evenly brown the short ribs, about 5 minutes per side. Once seared, transfer the short ribs to the baking dish with the bones.

After all the short ribs are seared, pour out 3/4 of the fat from the pan and discard.  Then add the carrots, onions, celery, and tomato paste to the remaining hot fat. Stir well and cook 2 to 3 minutes, softening the vegetables and allowing the tomato paste to caramelize slightly. Add the chicken stock and 3/4 cup root beer and bring to a boil. Once the mixture comes to a boil, pour it over the top of the short ribs and the bones in the baking dish. Add the garlic, thyme, and bay leaf, cover with parchment paper, and then cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Place the short ribs in oven and cook 6 to 7 hours, or until very tender. Remove and let cool at least 4 hours. Once cooled, extract the short ribs from the braising liquid. Set the short ribs aside.

Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and discard all other solids. Place the liquid in a large saucepan. Skim all the fat from the top. Add the orange juice, Worcestershire sauce, and the remaining root beer. Reduce the sauce over medium until it’s thick, or until it coats the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes.

Prepare the kimchi dressing: place all the ingredients, besides oil, in a mixing bowl and whisk together thoroughly. Slowly drizzle in oil. Set aside.

Optional last step (for crisping): in a large Dutch oven, heat the peanut oil to 375°F. Combine the cornstarch and flour in a large mixing bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper. Toss the short ribs in the flour mixture, and fry them in the oil until heated through and crisped, about 3 minutes. Place on a paper-towel lined plate to drain off the excess oil.

To assemble the final dish: bring the sauce to a simmer. Drain the pickled cucumbers in a mixing bowl, and toss with enough kimchi dressing to evenly coat.

In a mixing bowl, toss the short ribs with enough of the reduced sauce to liberally coat.

Arrange the pickled cucumbers on a large serving platter and place the short ribs on top. Garnish with cilantro and some chopped roasted peanuts.