When you entertain it can be quite tricky. If you don't know your guests that well how can you be sure that you will serve them food that they like/will eat. I went under the assumption that as I was not told of any allergies - I could prepare pretty much anything. You can however, still go wrong there - what if you decided to do seafood - and they hate it.
What to serve though - a tried and true favourite that you know will work? Or do you be adventurous and try something that you have never made before, and have your fingers crossed the whole time, hoping that it will work out ok?
I decided to try something new. I have been hankering to make beef ribs for a while - trouble is the days when I actually see them at the butcher shop is the days when I don't want them. So I asked ahead and made sure he would have them on the day I needed them.
Beef ribs can be tricky as they require a lot of cooking. The butcher assured me that you can't cook them too long - 12 hours is best!! This of course means that you have to start cooking your dinner while you are eating your breakfast!!! I know there are some of you out there that have a problem with having your oven going this long - but really it was OK - smelling the aroma of those ribs cooking all day was very enticing!!
Unfortunately when I ordered the ribs I did not specify to the butcher how I wanted them cut. I assumed that it would be cut along the bone, as with pork spare ribs - this would give you a bone with a big chunk of meat on it. When I picked them up he had cut them into long strips - so I had several small bones in a long piece of meat. Not really a problem - but just make sure you are specific if, and when you order beef ribs!!
What ingredients should be used to flavour these ribs? I had recently looked on Mumu Grill's website and here they talked about beef ribs (that is what got me started on the beef ribs idea actually!!) The only problem was that they were not specific in the amounts etc - so I had to do a little more research. I then came across a recipe on the blogsite Random Cuisine. I liked the flavours that were going on with this recipe - so I kind of combined the two concepts. Used the marinade from Random Cuisine - but then used the beef stock idea from Mumu, and then cooked them for the butcher's time recommendation.
Slow Cooked Beef Ribs
Adapted from Random Cuisine and Mumu Grill
Serves 4-5
6 pieces of beef ribs - actual weight was around 2.3kg
1/2 cup fish sauce
bunch of coriander, stalks, roots, leaves
1/4 cup canola oil
1 lime, skin removed, quartered
4 cloves garlic
2 stalks lemongrass
1/4 cup sugar
5cm piece ginger
1 red chilli
1 litre beef stock
Cherry tomatoes and limes wedges to serve
Place the coriander, lime, garlic, lemongrass, ginger and chilli in the Thermomix bowl. Process for 3 seconds on speed 7. Scrape down the bowl. Add the oil, fish sauce and sugar and process for 3 seconds on speed 7.
Place the marinade into a large ziploc bag, add the ribs and allow them to marinate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 100 degrees. (I actually had had the oven on at 150 - I turned it down - but I did play with the temperature during the day and fluctuated between 100 and 150 - I was worried they wouldn't be cooked!?!) I also peeked a couple of times to make sure there was still enough liquid in there - and there was - so don't worry!!
First thing the next morning place the ribs into a large disposable foil baking tray. (Don't add the marinade - but don't scrape off the marinade either - just take them from the bag and put them in the tray - whatever comes across is fine!).
Add enough beef stock to just cover the ribs (do not fully submerge them - but you want them with a lot of liquid - remember they are going to cook for 10+ hours!!!) Cover the baking dish with several layers of foil - making sure that it is well sealed.
Put in the oven and cook for at least 10 hours!!
So what to serve with the ribs???
I am going to tease you here - and tell you - but actually post the accompaniments in a separate post (otherwise it may be a dry week recipe wise!!!)
To accompany the ribs I made a Green Bean, Edamame and Avocado Salad, Smashed Potatoes and Brazilian Cheese Bread!
We started the evening with Hoisin Chicken Canape cases, and Roasted Capsicum and Sundried Tomato and Cashew Dip.
.... but the piece de resistance for the evening was dessert!!! Raspberry Bliss Cake!!!
The flavour in those ribs was oh so worth all that cooking time!!! They were meltingly soft to eat as well. I think I can safely say now, that if you are going to go to the effort to make beef ribs - go the extra distance and cook them very low and very slow - you will be rewarded for your efforts!
It actually was a great meal to make for guests as there was very little work to do - make the marinade - and then sit back and let the oven do the work!!
What to serve though - a tried and true favourite that you know will work? Or do you be adventurous and try something that you have never made before, and have your fingers crossed the whole time, hoping that it will work out ok?
I decided to try something new. I have been hankering to make beef ribs for a while - trouble is the days when I actually see them at the butcher shop is the days when I don't want them. So I asked ahead and made sure he would have them on the day I needed them.
Beef ribs can be tricky as they require a lot of cooking. The butcher assured me that you can't cook them too long - 12 hours is best!! This of course means that you have to start cooking your dinner while you are eating your breakfast!!! I know there are some of you out there that have a problem with having your oven going this long - but really it was OK - smelling the aroma of those ribs cooking all day was very enticing!!
Unfortunately when I ordered the ribs I did not specify to the butcher how I wanted them cut. I assumed that it would be cut along the bone, as with pork spare ribs - this would give you a bone with a big chunk of meat on it. When I picked them up he had cut them into long strips - so I had several small bones in a long piece of meat. Not really a problem - but just make sure you are specific if, and when you order beef ribs!!
What ingredients should be used to flavour these ribs? I had recently looked on Mumu Grill's website and here they talked about beef ribs (that is what got me started on the beef ribs idea actually!!) The only problem was that they were not specific in the amounts etc - so I had to do a little more research. I then came across a recipe on the blogsite Random Cuisine. I liked the flavours that were going on with this recipe - so I kind of combined the two concepts. Used the marinade from Random Cuisine - but then used the beef stock idea from Mumu, and then cooked them for the butcher's time recommendation.
Slow Cooked Beef Ribs
Adapted from Random Cuisine and Mumu Grill
Serves 4-5
6 pieces of beef ribs - actual weight was around 2.3kg
1/2 cup fish sauce
bunch of coriander, stalks, roots, leaves
1/4 cup canola oil
1 lime, skin removed, quartered
4 cloves garlic
2 stalks lemongrass
1/4 cup sugar
5cm piece ginger
1 red chilli
1 litre beef stock
Cherry tomatoes and limes wedges to serve
Place the coriander, lime, garlic, lemongrass, ginger and chilli in the Thermomix bowl. Process for 3 seconds on speed 7. Scrape down the bowl. Add the oil, fish sauce and sugar and process for 3 seconds on speed 7.
Place the marinade into a large ziploc bag, add the ribs and allow them to marinate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 100 degrees. (I actually had had the oven on at 150 - I turned it down - but I did play with the temperature during the day and fluctuated between 100 and 150 - I was worried they wouldn't be cooked!?!) I also peeked a couple of times to make sure there was still enough liquid in there - and there was - so don't worry!!
First thing the next morning place the ribs into a large disposable foil baking tray. (Don't add the marinade - but don't scrape off the marinade either - just take them from the bag and put them in the tray - whatever comes across is fine!).
Add enough beef stock to just cover the ribs (do not fully submerge them - but you want them with a lot of liquid - remember they are going to cook for 10+ hours!!!) Cover the baking dish with several layers of foil - making sure that it is well sealed.
Put in the oven and cook for at least 10 hours!!
So what to serve with the ribs???
I am going to tease you here - and tell you - but actually post the accompaniments in a separate post (otherwise it may be a dry week recipe wise!!!)
To accompany the ribs I made a Green Bean, Edamame and Avocado Salad, Smashed Potatoes and Brazilian Cheese Bread!
We started the evening with Hoisin Chicken Canape cases, and Roasted Capsicum and Sundried Tomato and Cashew Dip.
.... but the piece de resistance for the evening was dessert!!! Raspberry Bliss Cake!!!
The flavour in those ribs was oh so worth all that cooking time!!! They were meltingly soft to eat as well. I think I can safely say now, that if you are going to go to the effort to make beef ribs - go the extra distance and cook them very low and very slow - you will be rewarded for your efforts!
It actually was a great meal to make for guests as there was very little work to do - make the marinade - and then sit back and let the oven do the work!!
All that food looks great. I have wanted to cook beef ribs for ages, but have never gotten around to it.
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