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Ontario, Canada
I am a wife, mother and grandma who enjoys the many aspects of homemaking. A variety of interests and hobbies combined with travel keep me active. They reflect the importance of family, friends, home and good food.
Cook ingredients that you are used to cooking by other techniques, such as fish, chicken, or hamburgers. In other words be comfortable with the ingredients you are using.
--Bobby Flay

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Saturday, July 31, 2010

Braised Beef Ribs

I was looking through the very full freezers to find something a bit different for a summer meal when the temperatures took a bit of a dip even though the humidex was still quite high.  One package of beef was labeled as braising ribs so I thought that would work well.  Instead of using the slow cooker or conventional oven I braised the ribs in the countertop roaster.  This small kitchen appliance gives the same results as a conventional oven without heating up the kitchen reduces our carbon foot print on high humidex days where using the natural gas grill is not as desirable.

braised beef ribs
Braising means to cook in liquid usually long and slow.  This method is best used for cheaper, less tender cuts of meat.  I placed the ribs on a bed of sliced Spanish onion then poured 2 cups of water over the ribs.  After sprinkling with a little Montreal Steak Seasoning and Worcestershire sauce, I set the roaster to 110ºC (250ºF) for about 2 hours.  Then I stirred in 3 tins of condensed mushroom soup and the potato chunks.  I increased the temperature to 175ºC (350ºF) and let cook for an hour. 

The meat was nice and tender, fall off the bone.  It was a bit fattier than I would have liked but the fat helped keep the meat tender as well.  The mushroom soup formed a simple yet tasty gravy for the potatoes.  I served with a side of steam broccoli.  The meal took on more of a comfort meal which is surprising as we really needed it.  The weather was wearing very thin on us with high temperature and humidity combined with violent storms.  A little comfort food was needed!


4 food lovers commented:

LindaG said...

Looks really good. I was thinking of trying your delicious spare rib recipe with beef short ribs. Do you think that would work? Our counter top oven isn't big enough to do anything like you did.

Just curious.

Sadly, the reason we don't have beef ribs more often is they are often more fat than meat.

Garden Gnome said...

Hi Linda :) They were quite good. I don't see why you couldn't use beef short ribs in the spare rib recipe. I'm using a countertop roaster not an oven though or if I'm making in the winter I use a roasting pan in the regular oven. I have a Hamilton Beach 6.5 qt countertop roaster. There are pictures of it in the archives. It is nicer than a slow cooker because it gives the results of roasting in the oven. They aren't expensive at all so it might be something you might consider.

Beef ribs are fattier, aren't they? We always get a couple of packages with our half of cow but other than that I very rarely buy them unless it is for a particular dish I want to make.

LindaG said...

Thanks, GG. I will definitely look into that roaster. It does sound like something I could use. Thanks! :)

Garden Gnome said...

You're welcome :) I'm sure you will really enjoy a countertop roaster. Mine only cost about $30 but it does get a lot of use and you can even bake cakes and breads in it.