Hoisin Braised Short Ribs over Jasmine Rice with Roasted Carrots and Caramelized Onions

Short ribs, slow cooked for hours in beer, hoisin sauce, garlic, rice wine vinegar and a little ginger = one of those “holy crap this is so amazing don’t speak to me until there’s nothing left on my plate” meals.

I feel like most often red meat is served with potatoes but I felt a little less guilty plating it on an a healthier bed of fluffy jasmine rice. And to feel even less guilty than my usual “I don’t need a side dish” mentality, I paired the entrée with some veggies – no seriously, I eat veggies. Fine, some veggies. But these roasted carrots and caramelized onions were awesome, and another healthy addition.

Aside from the ridiculously amazing meat, the GF has proclaimed she thinks the roasted carrots and caramelized onions dish is my best side dish yet. I’m not sure how the risotto fritters feel about that but I’m ok with it so they’ll just have to deal. Don’t worry risotto fritters; she does tend to flip flop a bit so you’ll be #1 again soon.

INGREDIENTS FOR HOISIN BRAISED SHORT RIBS:
3 pounds beef short ribs, about 10 ribs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
10 to 12 garlic cloves smashed
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch slices
12 ounces good ale (recommended: Bass)
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 cup hoisin sauce

INGREDIENTS FOR ROASTED CARROTS & CARAMELIZED ONIONS:
6 medium carrots (about 2 pounds) peeled, halved lengthwise, then halved horizontally
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 medium Spanish onions, sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

DIRECTIONS FOR HOISIN BRAISED SHORT RIBS:
Season the ribs generously with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy pot with a lid (Dutch oven) over high heat. Brown the ribs on all sides, in batches if necessary. Remove the ribs and pour off all but a couple tablespoons of the rendered fat.

Return the pot to the stove, lower the heat to medium and saute the garlic and ginger for about 3 minutes. Add the ribs back to the pot. Add the beer and the vinegar. Stir and then cover and simmer for 2 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Pour the hoisin sauce over the ribs, move the pot to the oven, and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Remove ribs and ginger from sauce. Strain fat from the top of the pot so that you're left with just the good stuff.

DIRECTIONS FOR ROASTED CARROTS & CARAMELIZED ONIONS:
In a large bowl, toss carrots with olive oil until well coated. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spread on baking sheet and transfer to upper rack in oven. Roast until slightly tender and browned, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven, transfer to large bowl and keep warm. During final 30 minutes, place a heavy 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat, add the canola oil and heat until hot but not smoking. Add onions and saute, stirring constantly, until caramelized, about 20 to 25 minutes. Season, to taste, with kosher salt, add to roasted carrots in large bowl, and keep warm.

Source: Hoisin Braised Short Ribs:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/dave-lieberman/braised-hoisin-beer-short-ribs-with-creamy-mashed-yukons-and-sesame-snow-peas-recipe/index.html
Source: Roasted Carrots & Caramelized Onions
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/robert-irvine/pot-roast-and-carrots-recipe/index.html

About Me: http://zacksmithishungry.blogspot.com/2012/09/about-me.html