Beef ribs - any tips

[PeteW]

Hiya,

Finally managed to get some beef short ribs from my butcher and will be having a crack and cooking them tomorrow. Paid £8/kg for them - that seem reasonable?

Anybody got any tips for a first timer? Cut them into individual ribs or leave as a rack? Just a salt+pepper rub or something fancier? Trim much fat off? How long should I expect a 3kg piece to cook..?

Ant tips gratefully received - as always, I have no idea what I'm doing!

Cheers

Pete

[Toby]

Hi Pete

Leave them whole, salt, pepper and a bit of garlic. I cook at 250 for 3 hours then foil for a further 2.

£8 is about right for short ribs however I recommend people ask their butchers for flat ribs, they cook just as well at almost half the price.

Good luck
Toby

[aris]

What are the differences between flat ribs and short ribs?

From pictures i've seen they look meatier.

[slatts]

Toby
What was the beef ribs we had on the Sunday on the Harry Soo class, they was amazing. Where they short or flat ribs?

[PeteW]

Thanks Toby. One other question is how big should these ribs be? I ask because the pitt cue book was a 4-6 bone rack would weigh between 500-600g, whereas my 4-bone rack weighs in at about 3kg! Just wondering which end of the scale is more normal!

Really looking forward to trying this, it looks like a lovely bit of meat - lots of marbling throughout! Only 3 hours to go now...

[keith157]

I would say that somewhere inbetween, but closer to your weight is about right, with a six bone rack at their weight I would think they were Jacobs Ladder, the top part of the sirlois.forerib which is cut off to make the joints. If that confuses you, think of the long lamb chops you buy verses the smaller loin chops, one is untrimmed the other has had the lamb equivilent of the Jacobs Ladder taken off.

[PeteW]

Thanks chaps. And if anyone's interested, here's how they turned out:


(View larger version)

Have to say, they were delicious! Would probably trim a bit more fat off next time, but other than that, was really happy with them!

[keith157]

Keep the fat on, it adds flavour, moisture and an element of protection. You can always trim it off later.