Preparation time
Overnight
Cooking time
Over 2 hours
Serves
Serves 4
By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen
Ingredients
Marinated Beef Ribs:
- Onion granules: 2 tbsp
- Garlic granules: 2 tbsp
- Ground fennel seeds: 2 tbsp
- Salt: 2 tbsp
- Soft brown sugar: 1 tbsp
- Dried thyme: 2 tsp
- Dried oregano: 2 tsp
- Sweet smoked paprika: 2 tsp
- Beef ribs: 4
- Vegetable oil: 2 tbsp
Poaching Liquid:
- Garlic bulbs (halved horizontally): 2
- Red chillies: 2
- Star anise: 2
- Medium cider (2 x 500ml bottles): 1 litre
- Beef stock: 1 litre
- Soy sauce: 100ml
- Cider vinegar: 100ml
- Treacle: 2 tbsp
- Orange juice: juice of 1 orange
Barbecue Sauce:
- Vegetable oil: 2 tbsp
- Onion (chopped): 1
- Fresh thyme leaves (chopped): 1 tbsp
- Garlic cloves (crushed): 6
- Tomato ketchup: 200ml
- Brown sauce: 100ml
- Cider vinegar: 5–6 tbsp
- Dried chipotle peppers: 5
- Runny honey: 100ml
- Smoked paprika: 1 tsp
- Worcestershire sauce: 40ml
- English mustard powder: 1 tsp
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Corn Ribs:
- Sweetcorn ears (cut through the centre into 4 “ribs” each): 2
- Vegetable oil for deep-frying
- Fresh jalapeño chillies (chopped): 4
- Pickled jalapeño chillies: 2 tbsp
- Fresh coriander (chopped): 1 bunch
- Fresh oregano (chopped): 1 bunch
- Flatleaf parsley (chopped): 1 bunch
- Spring onions (chopped): 4
- Green olives (chopped): 10
- Red onion (thinly sliced): 1
- Red chilli (finely chopped): 1
Method
- Make the dry rub and marinate:
- Combine the onion and garlic granules, ground fennel, salt, brown sugar, dried thyme, dried oregano and smoked paprika in a bowl. Mix well to form a dry rub.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of the rub to use as a garnish later.
- Rub the remaining mixture thoroughly over the beef ribs. Drizzle with the vegetable oil and ensure the ribs are evenly coated.
- Loosely cover and chill the ribs overnight to allow the flavours to penetrate.
- Brown and poach the ribs:
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan) or Gas Mark 3.
- Heat a little oil in a frying pan and brown the ribs on all sides to develop colour. Transfer them to one side while you prepare the poaching liquid.
- In a flameproof roasting tray combine the halved garlic bulbs, red chillies, star anise, cider, beef stock, soy sauce, cider vinegar, treacle and orange juice. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil on the hob.
- Remove from the heat, nestle the browned ribs into the liquid, cover the tray tightly with foil and place in the oven. Cook slowly for 3–4 hours, or until the meat is tender and nearly falling from the bone.
- Prepare the barbecue sauce:
- Soak the dried chipotle peppers in boiling water until they have softened, then cool. Remove their stalks and seeds, and finely chop the flesh (wear gloves if needed).
- Heat the oil in a pan and gently soften the chopped onion with the thyme and crushed garlic without browning.
- Add the chopped chipotles, ketchup, brown sauce, cider vinegar, honey, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce and mustard powder. Simmer gently over low heat for about 20 minutes to marry the flavours.
- Season to taste with salt and black pepper and set aside to cool slightly.
- Reduce the poaching liquid:
- When the ribs are cooked, lift them out and strain the poaching liquid through a sieve into a saucepan.
- Bring the strained liquid to a vigorous simmer and reduce by about half until it has a concentrated flavour and slightly syrupy consistency.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Keep warm.
- Cook the corn ribs:
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep, heavy-based pan to 180°C.
- Carefully lower the cut corn “ribs” into the hot oil using tongs and fry for 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp on the outside.
- Remove and drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
- Make the jalapeño herb mixture:
- In a bowl combine the fresh chopped jalapeños, pickled jalapeños, chopped coriander, oregano, parsley, spring onions, olives and the reserved 2 tablespoons of spice rub. Toss well to combine—this bright, tangy mixture will garnish the dish.
- Finish and serve:
- Brush the cooked ribs with some of the reduced poaching liquid and then with the barbecue sauce to glaze. For a deeper glaze, repeat once or twice and briefly return the ribs to a hot oven or under a grill to caramelise the sauce.
- Serve the glazed beef ribs with the corn ribs on the side and a bowl of the barbecue sauce for extra dipping.
- Scatter the jalapeño herb mixture over the corn ribs and ribs, and garnish with sliced red onion and chopped red chilli for colour and heat.