Root beer Braised Short Ribs

This is slow-cooked in a root beer broth and is great with mashed sweet potatoes.

When it comes to short ribs, the secret is all in the sauce! We love beef short ribs so I am always trying to think of a new way to cook them. 

Each month, Bern’s Steakhouse in Tampa features a new beef short rib recipe on their seasonal menu. I’m very lucky that I get to visit Bern’s often and I always have to try their seasonal beef short ribs. One month, they had Coca-Cola short ribs and they were delicious! So I thought why not recreate this recipe but use Root beer instead! This creative twist really enhances the meatiness of the ribs with a concentrated sweet and savory combination full of flavor. Of course the meat falls off the bone and goes perfectly with mashed sweet potatoes.

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 pounds short ribs, cut into 4-inch pieces
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
• 2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1-inch wedges 
• 3 large celery stalks, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 small carrots, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 head garlic, sliced in half crosswise
• 10 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 whole star anise
• 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 2 cups good-quality root beer

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Season ribs generously with salt and pepper. In an 8-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil on high. In batches, brown ribs on all sides, about 20 minutes total. If oil gets too dark during browning, pour off and add more oil (do not wipe pot clean). Transfer ribs to a plate and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot.

Add onions, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, cumin, and star anise. Cook, scraping up any browned bits, until onions soften, 5 minutes. Return ribs to pot and add broth and root beer. Bring to a rapid simmer, cover, and place the pot in the oven.

Cook until meat can be easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 3 hours. 

With a slotted spoon, transfer ribs to a large straight-sided skillet. 

Skim off and discard any fat from cooking liquid. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into skillet; discard solids. Boil over medium-high until liquid is reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Continue to cook, spooning liquid over meat occasionally, until ribs are glazed and sauce is thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

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Bok Choy & Rice Noodle Soup

Did you know in China, soup is something that is always on the table, particularly at dinner. According to Chinese tradition, dinner should always include at least three dishes and one soup. Chinese soups are very easy to make and usually made with simple ingredients. And this recipe is no exception!

I absolutely LOVE the flavor and crunch bok choy brings to this fragrant garlicky ginger soup! If you can’t find Bok Choy, you can use any green, such as cabbage, spinach or other Asian greens.

This recipe also calls for one of my new favorite spices…Star Anise. I was first introduced to Star Anise by one of Gordon Ramsay’s recipes.The star-shaped pods look beautiful and have an exotic flavor you’ll fall in love with. It has earthy, subtly sweet spice that is perfect in savory dishes. Star Anise is also an ingredient in Chinese five spice, where it’s combined with fennel, cinnamon, Szechuan peppercorns and cloves. So if you can not find Star Anise, you can use Chinese five spice.

Honestly this is one of my go to soups, it’s perfect in cold or even warm weather, who doesn’t love a nutritious, comforting, and flu-fighting soup! Get your grocery list together and let’s get cooking!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 shallots, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped, green and white divided
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tbsp ginger, fresh, minced)
• 5 ½ cups chicken broth (or water)
• 2 whole star anise or ¼ teaspoon Chinese five spice season
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 10 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 6 oz rice noodles
• 1.5 heads bok choy, roughly chopped
• sesame seeds (for topping)
• red pepper flakes (for topping)

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium-sized stockpot over medium heat.
Saute the shallots over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, or until the shallots turn translucent and start to soften. Stir often.
Add the white part of the green onions, garlic, and ginger to the shallots and mix.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes or until garlic and ginger is fragrant.
Carefully pour the chicken broth into the pot and bring to a simmer.
Add the star anise and soy sauce. Cover and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid from the pot and carefully remove and discard each star anise from the soup.
Add the mushrooms, uncooked noodles, and bok choy to the pot and simmer for 5-8 minutes, or until noodles and bok choy are tender.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with sesame seeds, the green parts of green onions and red pepper flakes.