Braised Short Ribs with Champ - Irish Food Board recipe

BRAISED SHORT RIBS WITH CHAMP

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 2 ½ -3 hours

Serves: 4

For the short ribs

4 Irish grass-fed beef short ribs, 2in/5cm wide and cut through the bone to 3in/7.5cm lengths, about 350g/12oz each

2 tbsp flour

2 onions, peeled, roughly chopped

2 celery sticks, trimmed and roughly chopped

1 carrot, peeled, roughly chopped

1 tbsp tomato purée

300ml/ ½ pint fl oz O'haras Celtic Stout

1.5litres/2 ½ pints beef stock

1 bay leaf

Few sprigs fresh thyme

3 garlic cloves, peeled, roughly chopped

5 black peppercorns



For the champ

900g/2lb potatoes

1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced

150ml/ ¼ pint warm milk

75g/3oz Cuinneog butter



Method:

· Preheat the oven to 220*C/fan oven 200*C/Gas mark 7. Season the beef ribs with salt and freshly ground black pepper and dust with the flour. Place them in a roasting tray with the onion, celery and carrot and roast for 20 minutes, then turn the short ribs over and roast for a further 15 minutes.

· When cooked, transfer the vegetables and ribs to a heavy-bottomed saucepan or casserole dish, leaving the fat and juices behind, and set aside.

· Put the roasting tray with the fat and juices over a low heat. Add the tomato purée and cook for a minute, stirring. Gradually add the stout and beef stock, whisking well until smooth and incorporating all the lovely caramelised bits from the bottom of the roasting tin. Bring to the boil.

· Pour the gravy over the short ribs and vegetables and place over a medium heat. Add the bay leaf, thyme, garlic and peppercorns. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cover.

· Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 2-2 ½ hours, or until the meat is tender: it should be almost falling off the bone without being too soft.

· Fifteen minutes before the ribs have finished cooking, cook the potatoes in lightly salted boiling water. Remove the short ribs and keep warm.

· Bring the gravy to the boil and cook for about 10 minutes until reduced by a third. Season to taste. Drain the potatoes. Melt the butter in the saucepan and add the spring onions and saute for 1 minute.

· Add the potatoes and mash. Add as much warm milk to make a soft light mixture. Season to taste.

· Spoon the champ onto warmed serving plates. Arrange the short rib standing up pushed into the champ and Strain over the gravy. Serve with buttered fine green beans and carrots.