Grilled short Ribs with Parsley Sauce and Hearts of Palm Salad
Why this recipe works: Conventional wisdom aside, beef short ribs are great for a quick, summer supper. Many home cooks consider this cut of meat best suited for long simmering braises. Surprisingly, though, short ribs taste just as good when they’re grilled over a hot fire, and grilling takes a fraction of the time that braising does. When sliced thin, the grilled short ribs are moist, juicy, and quite tender. The intense beefy flavor of short ribs really blooms when the meat is charred on the grill; the key is to be sure not to overcook it. We like ours cooked to medium – rare, so we pull the short ribs off the grill when they’re still pink inside. The accompanying parsley sauce, which has the consistency of a loose, fresh salsa, provides a bright, herbal, and slightly spicy counterpoint to the rich meat. If there’s a thin layer of connective tissue on the short ribs you purchase, be sure to carefully trim it off with a sharp knife before grilling.
Ingredients: serve 4
½ cup minced fresh parsley
1/3 cup, plus 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup minced red onion
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced salt and pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon water
1 (14 – ounce) can hearts of palm, drained, rinsed, and sliced on bias into ½ inch pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 ½ pounds boneless beef short ribs
Procedures:
- Whisk parsley, 1/3 cup oil, ¼ cup minced onion, 3 tablespoons vinegar, 2 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes, and water together in medium bowl.
- Whisk remaining vinegar, onion, garlic and olive oil in medium bowl. Stir in hearts of palm and tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper.
- Season short ribs with salt and pepper and grill over hot fire until browned and beef registers 125 degrees (for medium – rare), 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to platter and let rest 5 minutes. Thinly slice meat against grain. Serve with parsley sauce and hearts palm salad.
Smart shopping Beef Short Ribs
Short ribs are just what their name says they are: short rib cut from any location along the length of a cow’s rib section. Short ribs can be butchered in a variety of ways. In most supermarkets, you’ll find English style short ribs. This widely available choice contains a single bone, 4 to 5 inches long, with about thick piece of meat below the bone. In some supermarkets you can also buy boneless short ribs; when doing so, look for meat that’s uniform in shape and at least 4 inches long and 1 inch thick. It is best to avaoid tapered pieces of meat, which cook up unevenly.