Lemongrass and Coconut Braised Beef Ribs

Ribs covered in a rich, sticky glaze means finger-licking goodness!  You might want to start out using a fork and knife but eating with your fingers is the only way to really enjoy these beauties.  The ingredients are oh, so Asian and the air in our home was filled with this lovely fragrance.  Beef ribs are tender and meaty which make them ideal for braising.  You can also buy meaty beef short ribs that can also work but are more suited for the bbq.  Galangal is related to and resembles ginger but there is little similarity in taste.  It has a citrusy, earthy aroma, with hints of pine and soap in the flavor.  If you can’t find fresh galangal, then omit from this recipe.  Ginger has a long tradition of being very effective in alleviating symptoms of gastrointestinal distress (also effective in preventing the symptoms of motion sickness, especially seasickness).  Using ginger has also known to help many people with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis experience reductions in their pain levels and improvements in mobility.

Serves 4-6
recipe from Donna Hay magazine
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1.2kg rack beef ribs
all purpose flour, for dusting
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, chopped
5cm ginger, sliced
5cm galangal, sliced
2 whole star anise
4 small dried chillies
2 x 270ml cans coconut milk
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
60ml (1/4 cup) fresh lime juice
125ml (1/2 cup) beef stock

Preheat oven to 180c (355f).  Dust the ribs with flour and shake off any excess.  Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over high heat.  Add the ribs and cook 2-3 minutes each side or until browned.  Remove from the pan.  Add the lemongrass, ginger, galangal, star anise and chili to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.  Add the coconut milk, sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, beef stock and ribs to the pan.  Cover with a lid and roast for 90 minutes.  Remove lid and cook for a further 30 minutes or until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.


The Culinary Chase’s Note:  Oh my gosh!  The meat really was fall-apart tender but still clung to the bone.  Simply delicious!