Make the spice mix and barbecue sauce ahead of time, and this recipe will be easy to prepare on the day.
Ingredients
2 x 300g/10½oz beef short ribs
olive oil, for frying
2 tbsp sesame seeds
500ml/18fl oz veal stock
2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh coriander
2 spring onions, thinly sliced at an angle
1 jalapeño chilli, thinly sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve
For the brine
500gkg/1lb 2oz salt
bunch fresh thyme
½ garlic bulb, halved
For the spice mix
115g/4oz smoked paprika
60g/2¼oz light brown sugar
30g/1oz fine salt
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp chilli powder
For the barbecue sauce
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
400ml/14fl oz tomato ketchup
100ml/3½fl oz American mustard
4 tbsp cider vinegar
4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4 tbsp runny honey
120g/4½oz light brown sugar
Method
To make the brine, mix 2.5 litres/4½ pints water with the salt, thyme and garlic in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, then simmer until the salt has dissolved. Leave to cool.
Put the ribs in a large tupperware container and pour over the brine. Cover with a lid and refrigerate for 4 hours. When ready to cook, wash the ribs under cold running water for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, to make the spice mix, put all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
To make the barbecue sauce, fry the onion and garlic in a saucepan in a little oil over a medium heat for 3–4 minutes, until soft. Add 20g/¾oz of the spice mix and fry for 2 minutes. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and stir well. Cook over a low heat for 1 hour. Blend the sauce in a food processor while it’s still warm and pass through a fine sieve.
Preheat the oven to 140C/120C Fan/Gas 2.
Pat the ribs dry with kitchen paper and rub with some of the remaining spice mix. Fry in a little oil over a medium heat until brown on both sides. Place the ribs in a deep casserole dish and cover with the veal stock. Braise in the oven for 4 hours, or until tender. Set aside to rest.
Increase the oven temperature to 180C/160C/Gas 4 and scatter the sesame seeds over a baking tray. Roast for 5 minutes, or until golden and aromatic.
Brush the cooked ribs with the barbecue sauce and sprinkle with fresh coriander, spring onions, jalapeño chilli and sesame seeds. Serve with lime wedges.
Source: BBC FOODS
