Braising Question

I would remove the foil cover for a while. Don't throw the juice out.
If it is still too watery you may want to try to make a gravy with it.
Or take the ribs out and keep reducing the liquid until it is the
consistency of a good "au jus" sauce. You can do that on the stove top.

TC

nanner said:

I decided to try making braised beef short ribs, I have chuck short ribs +/-
3lbs.

I browned them in a hot pan with a little olive oil then put them in a
casserole type thing with chopped onions. It was a well packed dish and i
added 2 cups of water, it came up about halfway in the dish. I put foil on
top.

It's been in the oven for almost 2 hours and smells yummy. I am not sure I
am ending up with braised meat or onion soup with short ribs in it. I must
have put too much water - or shouldi uncover now for the water to evaporate?

The liquid smells and looks like onion soup, it seems a shame to get rid of
it. Can it be eaten as soup?

I just hope the meat ends up tender - then I won't be too concerned either
way about the technicalities of it coming out "right", I just want good!!

nanner said:

I decided to try making braised beef short ribs, I have chuck short ribs +/-
3lbs.

I browned them in a hot pan with a little olive oil then put them in a
casserole type thing with chopped onions. It was a well packed dish and i
added 2 cups of water, it came up about halfway in the dish. I put foil on
top.

I'd say it was a bit too much liquid, especially when the amount of
liquid the meat will surrender is added in. But having said that, you
have a broth that should taste good. If you want to consume it as is,
add some salt to give it a little sparkle. If you're making gravy, hold
off on the salt until you're just about ready to serve it. Taste, add
salt and taste some more.

I'd take out the beef pieces and reduce the liquid a good bit, down to
maybe half. At that point, you have the beginning of a stock strong
enough to make a good sauce or gravy. The simplest way to deal with it
would be to take a cup or so of the liquid, let it cool for a minute or
two and stir in a heaping tablespoon of corn starch. Return that to the
pot, stirring to distribute and let it come back to a simmer. It'll
thicken the liquid for a quick gravy. If you'd prefer a slightly more
sophisticated gravy, use milk or cream to mix in the corn starch.

The onions will have surrendered a good amount of their sugars to the
liquid, so it should have a savory sweetness to it. Sugars.

Pastorio

Quoted message said:

It's been in the oven for almost 2 hours and smells yummy. I am not sure I
am ending up with braised meat or onion soup with short ribs in it. I must
have put too much water - or shouldi uncover now for the water to evaporate?

The liquid smells and looks like onion soup, it seems a shame to get rid of
it. Can it be eaten as soup?

I just hope the meat ends up tender - then I won't be too concerned either
way about the technicalities of it coming out "right", I just want good!!

"Bob (this one)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

nanner said:

I decided to try making braised beef short ribs, I have chuck short ribs
+/- 3lbs.

I browned them in a hot pan with a little olive oil then put them in a
casserole type thing with chopped onions. It was a well packed dish and i
added 2 cups of water, it came up about halfway in the dish. I put foil
on top.

I'd say it was a bit too much liquid, especially when the amount of liquid
the meat will surrender is added in.

I ended up with the liquid reaching the top of the meat so I uncovered it
and I think it reduced about 1/3rd.

Quoted message said:

But having said that, you have a broth that should taste good. If you want
to consume it as is, add some salt to give it a little sparkle. If you're
making gravy, hold off on the salt until you're just about ready to serve
it. Taste, add salt and taste some more.

I'd take out the beef pieces and reduce the liquid a good bit, down to
maybe half. At that point, you have the beginning of a stock strong enough
to make a good sauce or gravy. The simplest way to deal with it would be
to take a cup or so of the liquid, let it cool for a minute or two and
stir in a heaping tablespoon of corn starch. Return that to the pot,
stirring to distribute and let it come back to a simmer. It'll thicken the
liquid for a quick gravy.

I did this with Wondra, it's what I had.

Quoted message said:

If you'd prefer a slightly more sophisticated gravy, use milk or cream to
mix in the corn starch.

The onions will have surrendered a good amount of their sugars to the
liquid, so it should have a savory sweetness to it. Sugars.

Pastorio

It was good. I made rice for DH and I enjoyed mine with veggies. It was a
1st attempt and I am not used to cooking this way. Thanks for you tips - it
was after the fact for that meal but I will keep in mind for next time.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

It's been in the oven for almost 2 hours and smells yummy. I am not sure
I am ending up with braised meat or onion soup with short ribs in it. I
must have put too much water - or shouldi uncover now for the water to
evaporate?

The liquid smells and looks like onion soup, it seems a shame to get rid
of it. Can it be eaten as soup?

I just hope the meat ends up tender - then I won't be too concerned
either way about the technicalities of it coming out "right", I just want
good!!

nanner said:

"Bob (this one)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

nanner said:

I decided to try making braised beef short ribs, I have chuck short ribs
+/- 3lbs.

I browned them in a hot pan with a little olive oil then put them in a
casserole type thing with chopped onions. It was a well packed dish and i
added 2 cups of water, it came up about halfway in the dish. I put foil
on top.

I'd say it was a bit too much liquid, especially when the amount of liquid
the meat will surrender is added in.

I ended up with the liquid reaching the top of the meat so I uncovered it
and I think it reduced about 1/3rd.

Kinda what I figured would happen.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

But having said that, you have a broth that should taste good. If you want
to consume it as is, add some salt to give it a little sparkle. If you're
making gravy, hold off on the salt until you're just about ready to serve
it. Taste, add salt and taste some more.

I'd take out the beef pieces and reduce the liquid a good bit, down to
maybe half. At that point, you have the beginning of a stock strong enough
to make a good sauce or gravy. The simplest way to deal with it would be
to take a cup or so of the liquid, let it cool for a minute or two and
stir in a heaping tablespoon of corn starch. Return that to the pot,
stirring to distribute and let it come back to a simmer. It'll thicken the
liquid for a quick gravy.

I did this with Wondra, it's what I had.

Perfectly good stuff.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

If you'd prefer a slightly more sophisticated gravy, use milk or cream to
mix in the corn starch.

The onions will have surrendered a good amount of their sugars to the
liquid, so it should have a savory sweetness to it. Sugars.

Pastorio

It was good. I made rice for DH and I enjoyed mine with veggies. It was a
1st attempt and I am not used to cooking this way. Thanks for you tips - it
was after the fact for that meal but I will keep in mind for next time.

Here's a recipe I did Monday afternoon for a local TV show. Sorta what
you did (without added water), but I used a chuck roast.

Stracotto di Manzo al Ginepro
Slow-Cooked Beef with Juniper

This is a dish that my northern Italian grandmother did for the
holidays. She served it over slices of a basic polenta (cornmeal, salt,
water) or wide egg noodles. Usually, there were winter vegetables with
it; squashes and some members of the cabbage family.

Five ingredients (and a little salt and pepper - so, ok, seven
ingredients). Cover and turn on the heat. Sit back and let it go. Two
hours later, look inside and everything will have transformed into an
extraordinary dish that gets even better the second or third day.

Serves 4 to 6 people

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cups onions, thinly sliced crosswise
3 1/2 pounds beef chuck
2 teaspoons juniper berries, crushed
1/4 cup red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Put the olive oil and the sliced onions in a heavy-bottomed pot and set
the meat on top. Add the juniper berries and vinegar, and season with
salt and pepper. Turn the heat on to medium low and put then lid on.
When you hear bubbling, adjust the heat so that meat cooks at a very
gentle simmer. Cover the pot tightly (see below). Simmer for about two
hours, or until the meat is extremely tender when prodded with a fork.
You can begin checking it after an hour and a half. When the meat is
done the sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon. If it is too
thin, remove the meat and raise the heat a bit until it has reduced.

NOTES:
1) Juniper berries - to crush, put them on a cutting board or counter
and press on them with a heavy pot, or put them into a zipper bag and
gently hit them with a meat hammer.
2) If you can't find juniper berries, two tablespoons of gin will work
as well.
3) Crockpot - This can be done in a crockpot set to a temperature that
will let the juices very gently simmer.
4) This stracotto may be prepared up to 3 days ahead of time and
reheated over gentle heat with a few tablespoons of water or red wine.
5) Variations - Add a tablespoon of tomato paste added after removing
the meat, stirring it into the pan liquids; add a few sliced, sauteed
mushrooms to the pot for the additional flavor; use a boneless leg of
lamb or a game meat roast instead of beef.

<snipped>

Quoted message said:

Here's a recipe I did Monday afternoon for a local TV show. Sorta what you
did (without added water), but I used a chuck roast.

Stracotto di Manzo al Ginepro
Slow-Cooked Beef with Juniper

This is a dish that my northern Italian grandmother did for the
holidays. She served it over slices of a basic polenta (cornmeal, salt,
water) or wide egg noodles. Usually, there were winter vegetables with it;
squashes and some members of the cabbage family.

Five ingredients (and a little salt and pepper - so, ok, seven
ingredients). Cover and turn on the heat. Sit back and let it go. Two
hours later, look inside and everything will have transformed into an
extraordinary dish that gets even better the second or third day.

Serves 4 to 6 people

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cups onions, thinly sliced crosswise
3 1/2 pounds beef chuck
2 teaspoons juniper berries, crushed
1/4 cup red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Put the olive oil and the sliced onions in a heavy-bottomed pot and set
the meat on top. Add the juniper berries and vinegar, and season with
salt and pepper. Turn the heat on to medium low and put then lid on.
When you hear bubbling, adjust the heat so that meat cooks at a very
gentle simmer. Cover the pot tightly (see below). Simmer for about two
hours, or until the meat is extremely tender when prodded with a fork.
You can begin checking it after an hour and a half. When the meat is
done the sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon. If it is too
thin, remove the meat and raise the heat a bit until it has reduced.

NOTES:
1) Juniper berries - to crush, put them on a cutting board or counter
and press on them with a heavy pot, or put them into a zipper bag and
gently hit them with a meat hammer.
2) If you can't find juniper berries, two tablespoons of gin will work
as well.
3) Crockpot - This can be done in a crockpot set to a temperature that
will let the juices very gently simmer.
4) This stracotto may be prepared up to 3 days ahead of time and
reheated over gentle heat with a few tablespoons of water or red wine.
5) Variations - Add a tablespoon of tomato paste added after removing the
meat, stirring it into the pan liquids; add a few sliced, sauteed
mushrooms to the pot for the additional flavor; use a boneless leg of
lamb or a game meat roast instead of beef.

sounds good - i'll try!

"Bob (this one)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Here's a recipe I did Monday afternoon for a local TV show. Sorta what you
did (without added water), but I used a chuck roast.

Stracotto di Manzo al Ginepro
Slow-Cooked Beef with Juniper

This is a dish that my northern Italian grandmother did for the
holidays. She served it over slices of a basic polenta (cornmeal, salt,
water) or wide egg noodles. Usually, there were winter vegetables with it;
squashes and some members of the cabbage family.

Five ingredients (and a little salt and pepper - so, ok, seven
ingredients). Cover and turn on the heat. Sit back and let it go. Two
hours later, look inside and everything will have transformed into an
extraordinary dish that gets even better the second or third day.

Serves 4 to 6 people

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cups onions, thinly sliced crosswise
3 1/2 pounds beef chuck
2 teaspoons juniper berries, crushed
1/4 cup red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Put the olive oil and the sliced onions in a heavy-bottomed pot and set
the meat on top. Add the juniper berries and vinegar, and season with
salt and pepper. Turn the heat on to medium low and put then lid on.
When you hear bubbling, adjust the heat so that meat cooks at a very
gentle simmer. Cover the pot tightly (see below). Simmer for about two
hours, or until the meat is extremely tender when prodded with a fork.
You can begin checking it after an hour and a half. When the meat is
done the sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon. If it is too
thin, remove the meat and raise the heat a bit until it has reduced.

NOTES:
1) Juniper berries - to crush, put them on a cutting board or counter
and press on them with a heavy pot, or put them into a zipper bag and
gently hit them with a meat hammer.
2) If you can't find juniper berries, two tablespoons of gin will work
as well.
3) Crockpot - This can be done in a crockpot set to a temperature that
will let the juices very gently simmer.
4) This stracotto may be prepared up to 3 days ahead of time and
reheated over gentle heat with a few tablespoons of water or red wine.
5) Variations - Add a tablespoon of tomato paste added after removing the
meat, stirring it into the pan liquids; add a few sliced, sauteed
mushrooms to the pot for the additional flavor; use a boneless leg of
lamb or a game meat roast instead of beef.

Sound so wonderful! has my mouth watering right now, it too bad it will have
to wait until the weekend before I can make it -

disy

This looks soooooo good, Bob. Thanks.

HG

"Bob (this one)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Here's a recipe I did Monday afternoon for a local TV show. Sorta what you
did (without added water), but I used a chuck roast.

Stracotto di Manzo al Ginepro
Slow-Cooked Beef with Juniper

This is a dish that my northern Italian grandmother did for the
holidays. She served it over slices of a basic polenta (cornmeal, salt,
water) or wide egg noodles. Usually, there were winter vegetables with it;
squashes and some members of the cabbage family.

Five ingredients (and a little salt and pepper - so, ok, seven
ingredients). Cover and turn on the heat. Sit back and let it go. Two
hours later, look inside and everything will have transformed into an
extraordinary dish that gets even better the second or third day.

Serves 4 to 6 people

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cups onions, thinly sliced crosswise
3 1/2 pounds beef chuck
2 teaspoons juniper berries, crushed
1/4 cup red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Put the olive oil and the sliced onions in a heavy-bottomed pot and set
the meat on top. Add the juniper berries and vinegar, and season with
salt and pepper. Turn the heat on to medium low and put then lid on.
When you hear bubbling, adjust the heat so that meat cooks at a very
gentle simmer. Cover the pot tightly (see below). Simmer for about two
hours, or until the meat is extremely tender when prodded with a fork.
You can begin checking it after an hour and a half. When the meat is
done the sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon. If it is too
thin, remove the meat and raise the heat a bit until it has reduced.

NOTES:
1) Juniper berries - to crush, put them on a cutting board or counter
and press on them with a heavy pot, or put them into a zipper bag and
gently hit them with a meat hammer.
2) If you can't find juniper berries, two tablespoons of gin will work
as well.
3) Crockpot - This can be done in a crockpot set to a temperature that
will let the juices very gently simmer.
4) This stracotto may be prepared up to 3 days ahead of time and
reheated over gentle heat with a few tablespoons of water or red wine.
5) Variations - Add a tablespoon of tomato paste added after removing the
meat, stirring it into the pan liquids; add a few sliced, sauteed
mushrooms to the pot for the additional flavor; use a boneless leg of
lamb or a game meat roast instead of beef.