FOOD + DRINK
ASHLEY’ S OAK-SMOKED SHORT RIB BEEF,
BEEF-FAT POTATOES, CHIMICHURRI & KOHLRABI SLAW WITH STOUT & MAPLE JUS in THE KITCHEN WITH cont...
Ingredients( serves 6 – 8):
For the ribs:
• 1 whole short rib of beef
• Oak smoker dust
• 2 litres beef stock
• 1 head celery
• 4 carrots
• 2 white onions
• 1 pint of Guinness
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 200ml maple syrup
• ½ bulb garlic
• ¼ bunch rosemary
• Balsamic vinegar
For the beef-fat potatoes:
• 8 medium sized Desiree potatoes
• 2 tbsp beef fat
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Maldon sea salt
• ½ bulb garlic
• 1 lemon
• 1 bunch sage
For the chimichurri:
• Tbsp dried oregano
• ½ bunch flat leaf parsley
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 red chilli
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• Pinch Maldon sea salt
• 125ml extra virgin rapeseed oil
For the kohlrabi slaw:
• 2 whole kohlrabi
• ½ head white cabbage
• 4 carrots
• 1 red onion
• ½ bunch chives
• Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 dspn mayonnaise
• ½ clove garlic
Method:
1. Dry the short rib with a paper towel. Oak smoke in the cold smoker for 4 hours.
2. Roughly chop 1 head of celery, 4 carrots and 2 white onions. Add to a deep braising tray, along with a quarter bunch of rosemary, the tomato puree, half a bulb of crushed garlic, beef stock, maple and Guinness. Gently rest the beef rib side down on top of the vegetable mix. Braise for 4.5 hours on 135 ° C or until a rib can be removed easily with no meat remaining on the bone.
3. When cooked, carefully remove all of the ribs and lightly press the meat in between two baking trays in the fridge to set( I usually use a few unopened tins of tomatoes as a weight on the top).
4. Strain the vegetables and stock into a cooking pot, making sure to press them to extract all of the flavour. Allow to cool then refrigerate until the fat on the top has set. Scoop the layer of fat from the top and keep aside for the roast potatoes.
5. Put the stock pot on a medium heat and reduce the liquid by half. Adjust the seasoning and flavour balance by using Maldon salt, balsamic vinegar and / or some more maple syrup. The finished jus should be shiny and should just coat the back of a metal spoon.
6. Peel the potatoes, cut into eighths and steam until just soft( this usually takes around 20 mins). Drain the steamed potatoes, allowing them to dry before adding to a roasting tray along with the fat saved from the ribs. It is optional, but I usually blend the sage, rosemary, lemon zest, garlic cloves and thyme with the
Maldon sea salt in a food processor to make a herby garlic salt for the potatoes. Roast at 170 ° C, turning every 20 minutes, until golden brown.
7. While the potatoes are roasting, finely slice the cabbage, kohlrabi and onion. Add grated carrot and the rest of the slaw ingredients. Set aside.
8. Next, to make the chimichurri, add all of the ingredients to a food processor and blend to the desired consistency( I prefer mine smooth).
9. Portion the beef by cutting around 6 – 8 squares. I usually heat the beef in some of the jus in a baking tray, putting it in the same oven as the potatoes around 15 minutes before they are done and making sure the beef has reached 75 ° C in the middle before serving.
10. To serve, put the kohlrabi slaw on the plate first. Next, the roast potatoes, then the beef on top. Use the jus to glaze the beef then spoon some of the chimichurri onto the potatoes. Enjoy!
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