By Tony Caggiano
Short ribs are easily one of my favorite cuts of meat, and while most people immediately think of beef short ribs, my default is bison.
A tougher cut, short ribs lend themselves perfectly to “low and slow” cooking techniques, and the traditional braised short rib is always a favorite. Often done with either an Italian or barbecue flare, I opted for something a little less traditional.
I have always been a fan of Caribbean recipes that are slow cooked and braised. This is a play on something I started long ago, but never knew a recipe for…I remember plenty of garlic, a bit of heat…and I’m sure there was rum in it because it imparted a richness that stuck with me that I never forgot.
The following recipe has a salty, sweet richness that goes well over rice, pasta or potatoes that will help round out that home-cooked, comfort food feeling we all love.
Try springing it up a bit with hot peppers. Explore, experiment and make the recipe your own. Just don’t forget the rum.
Garlic Rum Bison Short Ribs
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 to 5 hours
Ingredients
• 3 pounds D’artagnan Bison Short Ribs, individually cut
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup dark soy sauce
• 1 cup mango or peach nectar
• 1 cup rum (dark will bring a richer flavor)
• 1 cup water
• 10 garlic cloves, diced
• 3 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground Allspice
• 2 large red bell peppers, chopped
• 3 fresh leeks, chopped
• Fresh cilantro garnish
Instructions
- Place a large dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Working in batches, brown the bison ribs in the oil on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Add the leeks and red pepper to the pot and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned. Remove to a covered dish and set aside (these will be added back later.)
- Add the rum to the pot and deglaze while scraping the browned bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon. Stir for 2 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce, mango nectar, water, garlic, ginger, honey, pepper and Allspice to the dutch oven.
- Bring to a boil while stirring; reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes.
- Sink the ribs into the sauce, preferably in a single layer. The sauce should cover them most of the way up, if not completely.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or until meat is tender. Start checking after 3.5 hours to test for doneness.
- Once the ribs are tender, add the leeks and red peppers back to the pot and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook 30 minutes longer or until heated through.
- Remove to a serving plate, top with a bit of chopped cilantro and serve!
BOOM!
