Short Ribs Galore

The truth is - no matter how much I reduce our meat intake, I am at heart a carnivore and winter has me craving slow cooking, long braising dishes that impart delicious aromas wafting through the apartment.  And they typically star short ribs.

Photo above:  flanken style, upper left; Korean style, upper right; British style, lower left. Back in November, I had this great idea to visit my favourite butcher, Ben at Getaway Farm Butcher Shop, get a variety of cuts of short ribs and share some recipes.   First, their band saw broke, then my wrist broke, but finally we are on a roll!

There are a few different ways to cut short ribs and a bazillion ways to prepare them.   That's Ben using the band saw to cut some British or English style ribs.  They're usually about 4"/10cm and serve one rib per person.  It's the only style I haven't actually tried, unless you count me fighting over the ribs of the awesome rib roast I make...but I do have a bunch of recipes over on Pinterest Board just waiting for me to get some red wine, more red wine - this time with chocolate, and stout.

Above,  Ben is putting the finishing touches to short ribs that he cut across the bone very thinly (no more than 1/4" = 0.5cm)... depending on where you live they are called Miami Ribs, Hawaiian Ribs, Korean Ribs and probably even more interesting names.

My ribs are still marinating, so I thought I'd share an old photo of the original BBQ Korean Ribs recipe that I first got  from a cousin who got it from a Korean chef (in the days way before Korean restaurants were popular in Montreal or Toronto or more recently Halifax).... but I digress.  I've updated the recipe and can't wait for dinner tonight!.

The third cut shown at the top of the page is "flanken" usually cut across 3-4 ribs and about 1 - 2" thick and absolutely my favorite, especially during the coldest parts of the year - and coming off a blizzard qualifies!  That's my own Lentil Soup - flanken peeking out behind the croutons.

Even the word -"flanken" - mellows me out and calms me down.  I envision my grandmother (Bubbie) in her apron - she's on the left, my mom on the right and my Auntie Rita in the middle.  I'm sure that's not a flanken dish they're holding, but it's the only photo I could find of the era.  Every time I make this soup or Split Pea Soup or the  Mushroom, Beef & Barley Soup that makes me think of my dad who loved it and used to say "it sticks to the ribs", I am instantly transported to better time - snowstorms and freezing temperatures forgotten.  

And I will try some new ways - plus you can find a few I've already tried HERE    In the meantime, let me know which style are your favorites.  If you have a recipe to share, please leave a link in the comment section, or email it to me at ruth@4everykitchen.com.