Beef

Black bean beef short ribs recipe

4-6

Slow-cooking a stew helps break down all the ingredients, making it easier on our digestion. These black bean beef short ribs make a wonderful warming dinner; perfect for a healthy ‘fakeaway’.

Ingredients

  • 2kg short ribs (also called 'Jacob's Ladder') you may need to pre-order these from your butcher
  • Drizzle of olive or rapeseed oil
  • 500g onions, roughly chopped
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced
  • Zest and juice of 1 orange
  • 400g pre-soaked black beans
  • 1.1 litres hot vegetable stock
  • 1 1/2 heads of broccoli, cut into small florets
  • Organic short-grain brown rice, to serve

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Put the ribs in a roasting tin, put in the oven and roast for about 40 minutes or until they brown, turning them halfway through. Remove and put to one side. Turn the oven down to 170°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large lidded ovenproof casserole pot, add the onions and season with the sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes until softened, add the garlic and ginger and cook for a few more minutes, then stir in the orange zest and add juice and the soaked black beans. Put the short ribs in the pot along with the stock, and bring to a bubble. Then put the lid on and cook in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, checking on it occasionally and topping up with hot water from the kettle if needed. Remove from the oven and put to one side, and leave it to cool completely.
  3. Once cold, skim away the layer of fat from the pot (you can use a ladle for this), then take out the ribs, strip the meat from the bones and remove and discard any excess fat. Return the meat and bones to the pot and top up with hot water (about 300ml). Put the lid on and cook for about 2 hour, adding the broccoli and more hot water for the last 30 minutes.
  4. Remove from the oven, take out the bones, taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve with the brown rice.