Berbere Braised Short Ribs
Berbere Braised Short Ribs
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Berbere Braised Short Ribs
By Kiano Moju
4
2 hours
2 hours
Photo Credit: Photography Copyright © 2024 by Kristin Teig.
This recipe is excerpted from AFRICALI: Recipes from My Jikoni. Copyright @ 2024 by Kiano Moju. Photography Copyright © 2024 by Kristin Teig. Reproduced by permission of Simon Element, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.
Ethiopian berbere is easily the most used spice blend in my kitchen. As an essential in the nation’s most popular dishes, each cook has their own combination that always has dried peppers as the foundation. Berbere works wonders in slow-cooked dishes like these braised short ribs, which are cooked fork-tender, but never too soft like pulled beef. “Mush meat” has always been a big NO-NO in my family. For Maasai people, meat is essential and must be treated preciously. To cook meat into oblivion is an act of treason. This dish is best served in bowls, alongside mashed potatoes or any grain.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless short ribs or chuck
- Fine sea salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger
- 2 medium red onions
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as avocado or peanut oil
3 tablespoons Spiced Ghee or plain ghee or unsalted butter
1½ tablespoons Berbere spice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups beef stock
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds, for garnish
Directions
Cut the short ribs into big 3-inch chunks. Season generously with salt and black pepper on all sides. Set aside and let rest, at room temperature, for at least 1 hour.
Position a rack in the center of your oven, and preheat to 325°F (160°C).
Peel the garlic cloves and ginger. Blitz the garlic and ginger in a small food processor or blender until finely chopped. Scrape into a bowl and set aside. Add the onions to the food processor and pulse to a small dice. Set aside.
Heat the oil in an oven-safe braising pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, working in batches, sear the beef on all sides to develop a golden-brown crust. Set the seared beef on a plate to rest.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the diced onions to the same pan with the rendered beef fat and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until soft and dark brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
Add the spiced ghee, berbere spice, tomato paste, and the minced garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the beef stock. Bring the sauce to a simmer and return the beef to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid.
Roast in the oven until the beef easily breaks apart with two forks, 1½ to 2 hours. Divide the braised beef among your serving plates and garnish with the pomegranate seeds.
