BEEFWIFE: Two Mules for Sistah Sara's Short Ribs

Whenever I make my sister-in-law’s Sara's crockpot ribs, I think of “Two Mules for Sister Sara.”  This 1970’s Western starred Shirley MacLaine and Clint Eastwood and the theme song plays in my head because these are “Sistah Sara’s Ribs." 

Too bad I didn’t have this recipe when I met Clint Eastwood (below) while he was filming “In the Line of Fire” at the U.S. Treasury Department in 1992 (where I worked at the time).  He might have swept me away to Carmel if I had cooked Sistah Sara’s ribs for him!

I made these last week before Shelby left for China (you can follow her blog, A Jayhawk Abroad, for the full story).  They are sticky and sweet and savory and fall-off-the-bone tender.  The perfect crockpot rib!

This looks like a lot of ingredients but you probably have most of these in your pantry or fridge (see full recipe below).

You need four pounds of BEEF short ribs; I can never find packages that exactly total four pounds but there is plenty of cooking liquid so if you’re a little over on weight, no worries.

Put the flour, salt and pepper in a plastic or paper bag and combine.  Add the ribs in batches; shake to coat and knock off the excess flour as you take them out of the bag.  In a heavy skillet, brown the ribs in the butter.  I start with half the butter and add more in as I switch out the browned ribs for the un-browned ones.

You’ll want to brown all sides; don’t rush this part, it seals in the juices. Here is my big dilemma with this recipe, do I lay the ribs flat in two layers or do I put them on end in a single layer (bones up)?

I feel like this is something I could discuss with The Pioneer Woman over a cup of coffee and she would feel my “pain.”  Guess what, it really doesn’t matter.  As I said before, there is enough cooking liquid and they cook down some so put them in however you like.

As the ribs are browned, put them in the bottom of your crockpot and drizzle with honey.  The recipe calls for 1/3 cup but I just squeeze the honey bear until they are coated well.  While you are browning the batches of ribs, you can get the other ingredients prepped.

I don’t use a lot of gadgets in the kitchen but since this recipe calls for five cloves of garlic, I use my garlic peeler and garlic press.  Pop the cloves in the peeler (a silicon tube that looks like a cannoli) and with downward pressure, roll the tube and out comes perfectly peeled garlic (thanks, Adam Kranz).  I got my first garlic press after having fondue at the Pillsbury cabin in Lake Tahoe back in 1997.  Drop a clove or two in the well, bring the handles together and out comes the minced garlic.  Just scrape the garlic off with the end with a knife and pop in more cloves.  Chop the onion into small dice.  Set the garlic and onion aside.  I measure the remaining ingredients into a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup, gently mix and then set aside.

Once the ribs are all browned, I pour off most, but not all of the liquid from the skillet.  Toss in the onion and garlic and cook briefly (don’t burn the garlic) then gently pour in the remaining ingredient mixture.  Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen the browned bits of BEEF and butter.

Cook over medium high heat until boiling and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until mixture reduces and thickens (about 20 minutes).  Pour the mixture over the ribs; cover crockpot with lid and cook on low setting for six to eight hours.

Sweet, sticky, spicy and tender, perfect crockpot ribs!  And you can serve the liquid from the crockpot on the side (if you want it thicker, just put in a saucepan and continue cooking until reaching the desired consistency).

Sistah Sara’s Crockpot Ribs

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 pounds beef short ribs

1/4 cup butter

1/2 to 1 whole large onion, chopped (I use half an onion)

1 1/2 cups beef broth (I use one whole 14.5 oz. can)

3/4 cup red wine vinegar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup chili sauce

1/3 cup ketchup

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

5 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup honey, more if you prefer

In a large re-sealable plastic bag, combine flour, salt and pepper. Add ribs to bag in batches and shake to coat. In a large heavy skillet, brown the ribs in the butter.

Transfer ribs to slow cooker and drizzle with honey. In the same skillet, combine the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook until mixture comes to a boil, stirring occasionally; pour over ribs. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender.

BEEFWIFE: Rhut-rho, Shaggy, it’s Rhubarb season!

One of the BEEFMAN’s colleagues sent him home with a few stalks of rhubarb last month so I decided to make Scalloped Rhubarb, a super simple, yummy, gooey deliciously sweet and tart dessert recipe I got from my mother-in-law (guess that makes her the BEEFMOM!). It's getting late in the rhubarb season (April-June) but if you can still find some, this would make a great Father's Day dessert.

Rhubarb looks like red celery and typically used as a fruit but technically is a vegetable.  The stalks are edible but the leaves contain oxalic acid and can be toxic so discard the tops.

To peel or not to peel, that is the question.  As I was making this, I peeled the rhubarb because of the celery-like strings and for some reason I had it in my head that you were supposed to peel before cooking (where did I come up with that?).  As I sat down to write, I decided to do a little internet research with some of my favorite Food Network chefs’ recipes and found that no one says “step 1: peel the rhubarb.”  Thanks, Ina (Garten), Anne (Burrell) and Bobby (Flay); wish I had checked BEFORE I made this!

At least I can show you what peeled rhubarb looks like even though you NEVER have to do this step.  After NOT peeling your rhubarb, cut into one-inch pieces.

Next cube your bread.  I like to use challah which is a traditional Jewish yeast egg bread that I get in my local grocery store; I think it gives a little more texture to the dessert.  The BEEFMOM used white sandwich bread, so feel free to experiment with bread types.  I removed the bottom crust first but not the top crust.

Pour the melted butter over the bread cubes and stir to coat.  Add sugar and mix well.  I could just stop right here and eat the whole bowl.  Like a butter and sugar sandwich!  You had those as a kid, didn’t you?

Fold in the rhubarb.

Spread into a greased baking dish.  Add one tablespoon of water into each corner of the pan but do NOT mix in.  Bake 45 minutes until golden and gooey and delicious looking!

YUM... add a little scoop of vanilla ice cream and prepare to be amazed!

Scalloped Rhubarb

6 cups bread cubes, crusts removed (or not removed, your choice)
2/3 cup butter, melted
2 cups sugar
4 cups rhubarb, cut into one-inch pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat bread cubes with butter; add sugar and mix well until bread is well coated.  Fold in rhubarb. Pour mixture into greased 13x9 baking dish.  Put one tablespoon water in each of the four corners of the pan but do not mix in.  Bake 45 minutes, covering during last 10 minutes if top is getting too brown.

Alternate:  I was going to make this one time in the fall and couldn’t find rhubarb (fresh or frozen) in my store so I made with blueberries instead.  I cut the sugar almost in half and it turned out lovely so feel free to try with other fruits adjusting the sugar to which produce you use and to your taste.

Enjoy!

Leslie (aka the BEEFWIFE)

BEEFWIFE: Tenderloin Steaks with Arugula Salad and Sweet and Spicy Beets

 

I’m getting spring fever! Every chance I get, I’m sitting on the deck in the sun and looking in my garden for bulbs to come up. If I were planting a garden this summer (but I’m not), I might consider arugula. I’ve really developed a taste for this salad green. My copy of “The New Food Lover’s Companion” describes it as a “bitterish, aromatic salad green with a peppery mustard flavor” and a “source of iron as well as Vitamins A and C.”

I’m looking forward to enjoying this recipe from The Healthy Beef Cookbook, Tenderloin Steaks with Arugula Salad and Sweet and Spicy Beets. I made it this past summer for a light supper with the BEEFMAN then had the leftovers for lunch the next day. I think it might have been even better leftover as a little time gave the heat from the cayenne a chance to come up; nice ZIP!! I’ve included my notes in the recipe below.

Leave a comment here or on BEEFMAN's Facebook and tell me what tasty treat you’re yearning for this spring. I’ll draw one winner from the comments received and send you a copy of The Healthy Beef Cookbook!



Tenderloin Steaks with Arugula Salad and Sweet and Spicy Beets

Makes 4 servings; one hour prep and cooking time.

2 cups diced peeled beets (smaller beets will be tenderer)
1 cup orange juice

2 Tbsp. honey

1/8 to 1/4 tsp. ground red pepper (also called Cayenne)

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/4 tsp. salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. cumin seeds

4 beef tenderloin steaks, cut 1 inch thick, about 4 oz. each (we used flat iron steak, also called a top blade steak)

Salt, as desired

1 can (15 oz.) Mandarin orange segments, drained

6 cups arugula

Freshly grated orange peel (optional)

Combine beets, orange juice, honey and pepper in small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 40-45 minutes or until beets are tender (less time if you like them a little crunchy). Drain beets, reserving cooking liquid; cool.

Heat beet-cooking liquid over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/4 cup; cool slightly. Whisk in vinegar, oil and 1/4 tsp. salt; set aside to use as dressing.

Press garlic and cumin seeds evenly onto beef steaks. Place steaks on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, uncovered, 13 to 15 minutes for medium-rare to medium doneness, turning occasionally. (Now the BEEFMAN would tell you to sear the steaks on both sides and then move them off the direct heat and cover...low and slow for about 20 minutes. And be sure to let the meat rest at least five minutes before slicing.) Season with salt, as desired.

Toss beets, orange segments, and arugula in a large bowl; drizzle with dressing. Serve with steaks. Garnish with orange peel, if desired.

The Healthy Beef Cookbook provides these two additional tips: 1) to broil, place steaks on rack in broiler pan so surface of beef is 2 to 3 inches from heat. Broil 13 to 16 minutes for medium-rare to medium doneness, turning once; and 2) baby spinach can also serve as a tasty substitute for arugula.

Enjoy!

Leslie (aka the BEEFWIFE)

The BEEFWIFE Bloggeth! Steaks with Cowboy Coffee Rub and Spicy Pico de Gallo

Me and the BEEFMAN

The BEEFWIFE Bloggeth? Well, I’m not sure about that but the BEEFMAN asked if I would write about some of the cooking we do at home. I’m a self-proclaimed foodie who enjoys entertaining friends and family with good food and conversation.

My food journey started in the Western Kansas kitchen where I grew up, included a turn in 4-H cooking class both watching my older sister’s class and participating in my own, and then as a newlywed, gathering my mother-in-law’s recipes to “make my man happy!” We ate well, but not very healthy. A lot of bread, butter, sour cream, cheese…YUM! After a number of years and pounds down that path, it was time to change how we ate.


My 4H "Fun with Foods" project book

Our changes included smaller portions, less fatty foods and less time on the couch (I’m still working on that last one). Weight Watchers emphasis on portion control was a big light bulb for me. I learned to be satisfied without filling my plate and then filling it again. Making ingredient swaps or finding recipes with lower fat content were both steps in the process (thanks to hints and inspiration from Cooking Light magazine and healthy at home cooks like Ellie Krieger).

As we’ve aged, our palate has expanded to include many foods that we wouldn’t eat (mushrooms) or were not exposed to (Brussels sprouts) growing up. Whether reading a magazine, looking at food blogs or watching the Food Network or the Cooking Channel, I now have a different eye for what appeals to me. We still enjoy foods that lean toward the decadent (no fat-free for me), but instead of every menu item, it’s a more balanced plate.

Sharing a meal around the table is one of my favorite things to do. Come on over and stay a while!

 

Leslie (aka the BEEFWIFE)

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BEEF is a big part of our diet but after more burgers and steaks than I can count, it was time to find some new ways to enjoy it. The BEEFMAN brought home a copy of The Healthy Beef Cookbook  written by Chef Richard Chamberlain of Chamberlain's Steak and Chop House fame and put out by the National Cattleman’s Beef Association and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and I’ve used it as a springboard to diversify our meals.  [The Healthy Beef Cookbook is no longer in print, but a few new and used copies are still available on Amazon.com]

"Steaks with Cowboy Coffee Rub and Spicy Pico de Gallo" is one of the first recipe I tried. I served it with grilled sweet corn, black beans, and sliced homegrown tomatoes...yummy! After sharing recipe with a friend, she told me she served with mac-n-cheese topped with the pico. I’ve included notes from my experience in the recipe below (in red).

Steaks with Cowboy Coffee Rub and Spicy Pico de Gallo Really good!

Total prep and cook time: 25 mins (varies depending on how you cook your steak!)

Makes 6 servings

Spicy Pico de Gallo

1 cup chopped red onion

1 cup chopped seeded tomatoes

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1 1/2 tsp. minced pickled jalapeno pepper slices

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt

Cowboy Coffee Rub

1 Tbsp. freshly ground coffee beans I used a medium roast
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt or table salt

1 1/2 tsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. coarse-grind black pepper

3 beef shoulder center steaks (Ranch Steaks), cut 3/4 inch thick (about 8 oz. each) I couldn't find ranch steaks so used strip steak the first time and flat iron steak the second time -- both work great.

1. Combine Spicy Pico de Gallo ingredients in medium bowl; mix well. Set aside.

2. Combine Cowboy Coffee Rub ingredients in small bowl. Press evenly onto beef steaks. Place steaks on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 9 to 11 minutes for medium-rare to medium doneness, turning once. We always use our trusty Weber charcoal grill and the “direct heat to sear and indirect heat to finish” method for meats. Put all your coals on one half of the grill only. When the coals are white hot, sear the meat on both sides directly over the coals then just spin the grate around to the indirect side for the remaining cook time.

3. Carve steak into slices. We always let the meat rest at least 5 minutes before carving; this lets the juices settle back into the meat. Serve with Spicy Pico de Gallo.