Simple short rib of beef

Don't be put off by the long cooking time, this recipe is super simple and the oven does most of the work for you!

By Nigel Barden

Ingredients

  • 1.8kg/4lb Jacob’s ladder short rib, cut into 7½cm/3in pieces
  • 3 fat garliccloves
  • 5cm/2in piece of gingeror 1 tsp of ground ginger
  • 1 tsp Chinese five-spice
  • 5 tbsp sweet or dry sherry
  • 120ml/3¾fl oz soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cornflour
  • 120g/4¼oz chestnut or field mushrooms
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Place the beef in a large bowl. Peel and chop the garlic, peel the ginger and slice it into discs.

  2. In a bowl, mix the garlic, ginger and all of the other ingredients, apart from the cornflour and mushrooms. Add 20ml/3¾fl oz water and pour over the beef. Cover with cling film and set aside for at least 1 hour, or place in the fridge overnight.

  3. Preheat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/Gas 2.

  4. Put the ribs and marinde in an ovenproof dish, place over a medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

  5. Remove from the heat and cover tightly with tin foil. Cook in the oven for about 3 hours until the meat is tender and just falling of the bone (check every 15 minutes after 2½ hours). If it is looking a little dry just add some more water.

  6. Remove from the oven and separate the ribs from the juices. Turn the oven off and keep the ribs warm in the oven.

  7. Sieve the juices into a pan and place over a low heat. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the corn flour to make a runny paste and add to the pan. Slice the mushrooms in half and also add these to the pan. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken. Season with salt and pepper.

  8. Pour the sauce over the warm beef. Serve with rice and your favourite green vegetables.