HOW TO Sous vide

CORNED BEEF-STYLE SOUS VIDE SHORT RIBS

Inspired by the seasonings of classic deli corned beef, but much less salty and much more unctuous, these sous vide-cooked short ribs have the texture of a perfectly cooked rib steak. Yes, 48 hours is a long time to wait but it’s absolutely worth it! The lightly seasoned fresh slaw and mustard add to that deli flavour and help balance the richness of the ribs. 1 tbsp (15 mL) whole mustard seeds

2 tsp (10 mL) black peppercorns, cracked

½ tsp (2 mL) juniper berries, cracked (optional) 2 bay leaves, crumbled

¼ cup (60 mL) packed brown sugar

1 tbsp (15 mL) dry mustard

Kosher salt

¼ tsp (1 mL) ground ginger

¼ tsp (1 mL) ground cinnamon

⅛ tsp (0.5 mL) ground allspice

4 beef short ribs cut English-style, about 3½ lbs (1.59 kg) total (see TIP)

¼ cup (60 mL) grainy mustard

1 tbsp (15 mL) prepared horseradish

Canola oil 1 Set up water bath and preheat to 135°F (57°C). 2 Combine mustard seeds, peppercorns and juniper berries (if using) in a mortar, and crack with the pestle (or place spices on a cutting board and use the bottom of a pot). Pour into a bowl and stir in bay leaves, sugar, dry mustard, 1 tsp (5 mL) salt, ginger, cinnamon and allspice. 3 In a large bowl, rub spice mixture all over ribs, pressing to coat. Transfer to a large-size resealable freezer bag or vacuum sealer bag, scraping in any excess spice mixture from the bowl. Arrange ribs in a single layer with space in between, then remove air using the water displacement method (see TIP on p. 125) or vacuum sealer and seal bag. 4 Immerse bag in preheated water bath, cover with plastic wrap to reduce evaporation, and cook sous vide for 48 hours, starting timing when water returns to set temperature. Replenish water to maintain maximum level as necessary. 5 Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine grainy mustard and horseradish, and prepare Coleslaw (recipe follows). These can be prepared up to 1 day ahead, covered and refrigerated until serving. 6 To serve, preheat barbecue grill to high or preheat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high. 7 Remove bag from water bath. Transfer ribs to a plate, discarding liquid from bag. Pat ribs dry and brush with a thin layer of oil (try not to remove all of the spices but do pick off the pieces of bay leaf) and season well with salt. 8 Sear ribs on preheated grill for about 30 to 60 seconds on each side until grill-marked, or in skillet, in batches as necessary, for 15 to 30 seconds per side until browned. 9 Serve ribs on a bed of Coleslaw with horseradish mustard on the side.

Serves 4 TIP

If you can’t get English-cut short ribs (cut lengthwise between the bones with a chunk of meat on top) you can use sliced ribs (cut in a strip with small pieces of bone along the strip). Use 4 strips, about ½ to ¾ inch (1 to 2 cm) thick, and reduce cooking time to 24 hours. Broil on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet to finish rather than grilling for even browning and to prevent strips from falling apart.