Short Ribs

Enjoy this hearty popular dish from this week's episode of George Hirsch Living it UP!

Short Ribs of Beef with Orange Ginger Sauce 

Makes four servings | As seen on George Hirsch Living it UP! TV series 

4 pounds Beef short ribs, bone in 

1/4 cup flour, for coating beef short ribs 

2 Tablespoons olive oil 

4 cloves garlic, sliced thin 

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 

1 leek, whites only cut into one inch pieces 

2 teaspoons sesame oil 

2 teaspoons sherry 

2 teaspoons soy sauce 

juice of one orange 

1 1/2 cups beef broth  

Coat beef ribs with flour, shaking off any excess.  

Pre heat a braising or sauce pot to medium high temperature. Add olive oil and sear beef short ribs until well browned, turning only once on each side. 

Drain any excess oil. Lower temperature of pot, add garlic, ginger, leeks, sesame oil, sherry, soy sauce, orange juice and beef broth. Bring sauce up to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 1 1/2- 2 hours or until meat is beginning to fall away from the bone.  

When short ribs are fully cooked, remove meat from pot. Raise the temperature of the sauce to a low boil. Reduce the sauce to naturally thicken. 

Serve with steamed dumplings and stir-fry vegetables. 

Pigskin Sunday

KNOW YOUR FIRE FRIDAY

I have been told by family members, who live in the BBQ belt in the south, that TLB in Sagaponack, New York is one of the finest Q joints (they say that with the highest respect), not only in the North but covering the USA. How about that? That's a pretty powerful statement from an expat Yankee.

The heart of TLB is all the details that goes into every part of this restaurant. Their dedication to sourcing the finest ingredients and preparation with authentic techniques makes TLB one of my favorite local spots for a pint and Q. Huge thumbs up.

Oh, and BTW the new “Pigskin Sunday” is not to be missed. And, it's also the first time I’ve ever witnessed - when the hometown team scores everyone politely puts down their pints and suckling pork tortillas to high five you. Even if you don’t follow football you’ll want to high-five me after tasting TLB's suckling pork Q.

TownLine BBQ

Rainy Day Grilling

A rainy day should never prevent you from enjoying your favorite grilled and seared foods. The Le Creuset Skillet Grill can go on the stove top, under the broiler, or in the oven. I have even started to grill a steak in the skillet on the stovetop and then placed the whole pan with the steak into a preheated oven to finish cooking. It may take a few minutes to preheat this cast iron grill pan, but watch out because once it heats up - it's smokin! Of course, a kitchen with good ventilation is a good idea.

Should the sun pop out unexpectedly take this pan to your outdoor grill and place on the side burner or right on the grill top. Another benefit is while your meat or seafood is searing in the pan, the juices from the marinade will keep your foods moist and flavorful.

I prefer the Le Creuset Skillet rather than the many imitators with a similar design currently in the market because Le Creuset uses the highest quality cast iron in the making of this pan. The ribbed base grid sears food evenly plus gives good characteristic grill marks, that adds definate flavor to meats, seafood and veggies. Yes, I grilled fresh sliced fennel on this pan on a TV taping last week. This pan is also perfect for making bruschetta.

lecreuset-grillpan-georgehirsch.jpg

Steak Wraps

Know Your Fire Friday

When the temps are well above 90 degrees - who can think of firing up a hot grill? Well, I can. This recipe is so quick-n-easy on the fire. Did I mention delicious? Plus, the steak wrap doesn't even have to be served hot. In fact, it's even better served chilled.

A good plan ahead tip: Get yourself a good strong cup of coffee first thing in the AM and light the grill when temperatures are still quite tolerable. Then, cook off the steak. Cool it, then chill in the refridgerator until ready to serve. Simply slice and wrap!

Sliced Steak Wraps

Recipe by George Hirsch | makes 10 wraps
From George Hirsch Living it UP! PBS TV series

2 pounds sirloin, flank or hanger steak 

For the marinade:
2 chipotle peppers, or 2 teaspoons chipotle seasoning
1 cup mango or papaya juice
1/4 cup raisins, plumped
1 head caramelized garlic, puree cloves
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon cilantro, coarse chopped
Fresh ground black pepper

Place mango juice, raisins, garlic cloves, vinegar, olive oil and chipotle peppers in food processor and blend well.

Pour blended marinade over beef and marinate 24-48 hours.

Preheat an outdoor grill or cast iron grill pan to high.

Remove meat from marinade and grill on high heat for two minutes on each side, brushing with chipotle marinade while cooking. Lower heat and allow to cook slowly to desired doneness. Remove from grill and allow meat to rest 3-4 minutes before slicing. Slice meat thinly against the grain.

For the wraps:
1 cup black beans, cooked or canned 
3 tablespoons cilantro, coarse chopped
10 flour tortillas

Wraps may be served warm or cold.

To serve warm wraps, heat tortillas quickly on a griddle or microwave for a few seconds. Top with warm sliced sirloin, cilantro, and beans. Fold tortillas tightly and serve.

Optional additions may include:
caramelized onions
sour cream
sliced avocados
roasted peppers
chopped plum tomatoes