Yeah girl...put some beer on it!

Ah, yet another week gone by.  There were some beautiful cuts of beef on sale this week, so I thought I might give my recipe for Beef Short ribs braised in Young's Double Chocolate Stout. It is one of my favorite dishes to serve. Total comfort food.

Most of California is being hit by back to back storms, here in Washington, it's still chilly, but much calmer ( thankfully). The temperature is still low in most of the country, and I am still stuck on hearty, rich meals to keep me warmed on the insides.
Let's talk about beef short ribs.
The beef short rib is the end cut of the rib. It has a very meaty and well fatted texture. It is a versatile cut and can be grilled, roasted, butterflied ( in Korean Galbi) and quick seared. Beef short ribs are an excellent cut for braising. When done right, they will literally melt in your mouth. I love it when meat melts in my mouth. Yeah. I said it.

A quick word on why I like this particular stout for this recipe. Young's Double chocolate stout is classified as a milk/sweet stout. It's scent is chocolaty, toasty and warm. The flavor is slightly chocolaty ( not quite as tootsie roll-like as Southern tier's "Choklat"...I like that) with hints of coco nib and a deep milk flavor and texture. It has low carbination so I like it for cooking. Oh who am I kidding... I love to drink it. That's really why you only have to use half of the pint. I highly suggest that the cook should drink the other half while cooking.
Other stouts can absolutely be substituted in this recipe, but try to keep it in the milk or oat stout family, as to curb the bitterness. If you can't find stout, a dark ale or porter can be used, though you won't have quite the same result.

Braised Beef Short ribs in Chocolate Stout

4 good sized short ribs (preferably grass fed beef-support your local farmer!)

1 ½ yellow onion- small dice

2 strips pepper bacon, diced

2 med carrots- small dice

2 stalks celery- small dice

½ pt Young’s Double Chocolate Stout (or any available stout)

¼ cup red wine vinegar

¼ cup beef stock

3 tbsp canola oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Season Short ribs, set aside
2. Heat oil in a heavy frying pan
3. Sear all sides of ribs until nice and brown. Remove from heat. Set the ribs aside on a plate.
4. in a heavy bottomed pot, sauté bacon, rendering out the fat on medium heat
5. Add miripoix* to hot pot, salt and sauté until caramelized… take your time.
6. Deglaze with red wine vinegar and scrape up all that good fond from the bottom of the pan.
7. Add short ribs, beer and stock and bring up to a boil.
8. Simmer for 3-5 hours.
9. Taste and salt.

Serve over basic mashed potatoes for a very hearty meal.

*miripoix is the term for a mixture of Carrots, Onions and Celery. These are basic aromatics that make your food very flavorful.

Oh. My .Goulash. Becky....

The first entry is, upon request, about goulash. I oddly find myself thinking of soup lines and Oliver Twist when I hear the word. I say oddly because this is a surprisingly fresh and brightly flavored stew. It is one of 3 national dishes of Hungary- along with Porklot and Paprikas.

A quick history…

The word “Goulash” is derived from the Hungarian Gulyas which means “cattlemen” or “herdsmen”. It has several variations, so no one recipe is “correct”. The main ingredients, however, remain relatively constant. They are Onion, Peppers, Vegetables, Caraway and Paprika. Beef, pork, lamb and mutton are all acceptable meats for Gulyas. It is traditionally made very thick as a stew, sometimes served over rice or pasta (to feed hungry Hungarian cowboys!) but is also seen as a soup (gulyasleves).

This stew should never be thickened with flour or roux, but with the cuts of meat used. A shank or shoulder would be the best, as the touch muscles are high in collagen and create a thick, velvety texture.

Some recipes call for garlic or tomato for added flavor and color.

A tried and true recipe for Goulash:

lbs beef shoulder, cubed
2 tablespoons oil

2 medium onions, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1-2 carrots, diced

1 parsnip, diced

1-2 celery leaves, chopped

2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped

2 fresh green peppers, pith removed and diced

2-3 medium potatoes, diced

1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika powder

1 teaspoon ground caraway seed

1 bay leaf

ground black pepper and salt to taste

1.5 cups beef stock (not broth, stock. No added salt)

1. Caramelize the onions
2. Pour the paprika on the onions, stirring constantly to avoid burning
3. Sauté beef cubes. You want them browned. The crust seals in the juices.
4. Add the garlic, the ground caraway seed, some salt and ground black pepper, the bay leaf, pour enough stock to cover the contents of the pan and let simmer on low heat for a while.
5. After about an hour, add the diced carrots, parsnip, potatoes, celery leaf and a bit more salt*, let simmer for 30 more minutes.
6. Add peppers, tomatoes and simmer for 15 more minutes.
7. Serve alone as a stew with crusty bread, or over egg noodles.

Enjoy!!!

*Professional tip: salting in stages creates a more round flavor, as each ingredient accepts flavor at different times in the cooking process. It also makes it less likely to over salt at the end.

Tell me what you eat....

Blogging...hmmm. A new world to me. I suppose the best way to start is with an introduction.

I'm Katie. Nice to meet you. I have been in every different facet of food service imaginable. I have loved food for as long as I can remember. I have worked in catering, weddings, fine dining, bistro, retail etc... I am currently a beer and wine specialist but I am a cook through and through.
If you are reading this, I imagine you also love food :)
I'm going to go with the spirits for awhile...let them guide me on how I should do this blogging thing. Some days I may post recipes, some days tasting notes on food, wine and beer. Other days I may review a restaurant if it strikes me.

If anyone has any suggestions, questions, or comments- please feel free to let me know. I love a challenge, and I like to keep things fresh.
Awesome!