Short Ribs are a delight to eat on most nights, but even more so on cooler evenings. There is nothing more comforting than a piece of soft warm meat in a silky sauce for dinner. Beef Short Ribs are a heartier cut of meat, than pork ribs and are a perfect choice for the slow cooker.
There used to be a restaurant in Manhattan, New York called Spice Market, and they made they most amazing short ribs using warming spices of turmeric, cumin, coriander and cardamom. These fall-off-the-bone beefy ribs were a fragrant treat, and I wanted to try and mimic those flavors in this recipe.
What makes my Short Rib recipe so special is the spices and a mixture of root vegetables used in the sauce to enhance its richness. These ribs cook low and slow until they melt in your mouth and are the perfect meal during the week, and especially nice for entertaining on the weekends. You can double the recipe for larger groups or for generous leftovers at a later date.
(Serves 4-6)
Ingredients
3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoon salt
1 large leek, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 dates, pitted and diced
2 teaspoons of fresh ginger, minced
14 ounces stewed tomatoes
14 ounces low sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon tamarind paste (you can find this in Asian markets or online)
1 cinnamon stick
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
oil
To Prepare:
1. In a small bowl, combine cardamom, cumin, coriander, turmeric, onion powder, black pepper and salt. Rub ribs on all sides with spices. Reserve excess spices for sauce.
2. In slow cooker insert or in a pot on the stove top, add 2 tablespoons of oil and place over medium-high heat. Heat oil until lightly smoking, add ribs and sear on all sides, about 12 minutes. Remove ribs and place in a bowl, cover with foil.
3. Add leeks, carrots, celery, garlic, dates and ginger to pot and saute over medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring randomly. Add remaining dry rub mixture and stir to combine. Cook vegetables for 2 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes, 1 cup of water and chicken broth and stir to combine. Add tomato paste and tamarind paste, stir. Cook sauce for 3 minutes and add cinnamon stick, rosemary and bay leaf.
5. Add beef ribs back into sauce and place insert into slow cooker for 5 hours on high heat, or leave in pot on stove and cover to simmer for 2 1/2 hours.
6. Remove ribs from sauce. With a large spoon remove any excess grease from top of sauce. Pour sauce through a fine mesh strainer to remove vegetables and herbs. Press vegetables to remove any additional liquid.
7. Pour sauce back into pot and place over medium-high heat. Reduce sauce until it is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Place ribs on a plate and ladle with a spoonful of sauce over top. Serve with baked potato and/or fresh veggies. Enjoy!
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