Smoking and braising work very well together when cooking beef short ribs. An initial spell in the smoker develops colour and smoke flavour, while a covered braise finishes the meat gently. Non-alcoholic stout is a good candidate for the cooking liquid because its roasted malt notes can complement beef and vegetables.
Serves / makes: 4 portions
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: Approximately 5–6 hours
Recommended NA beer: NA stout or porter
Ingredients
- 1.5kg bone-in beef short ribs
- 330ml non-alcoholic stout
- 300ml beef stock
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 30g tomato purée
- 15ml vegetable oil
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 10g fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Heat the smoker to approximately 120–130°C and season the beef with salt and pepper.
- Smoke the ribs for 1½–2 hours to develop a dark exterior.
- Heat the oil in a large ovenproof casserole dish, then cook the onion and carrot for 5–7 minutes until softening.
- Add the garlic and tomato purée and cook for another minute.
- Pour in the stout and stock, stir well and add the thyme and bay leaves.
- Set the smoked short ribs into the dish, cover tightly and transfer to an oven at 150°C (130°C fan).
- Braise for around 3–4 hours, until the meat is very tender and pulls easily from the bone.
- Lift out the ribs, skim excess fat from the sauce and reduce the liquid briefly on the hob if needed.
- Return the ribs to the sauce and serve.
Why Use This NA Beer?
Stout can supply roasted or coffee-like flavours that balance the richness of the beef and the sweetness of slow-cooked vegetables.
Tips and Variations
Choose a stout that is relatively smooth rather than aggressively bitter. If you do not own a smoker, brown the ribs well in a pan before braising; the result will be different but still worthwhile.
