A plate with two slices of cooked meat, topped with red bell peppers, onions, and chopped nuts, served in sauce with a knife on the side.

Vaca Frita (Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine Sauce)

Serves Yield: 20 servings

Ingredients

Braised Short Ribs:
3 pounds julienned onions
5 cups vegetable oil
2 cups red wine vinegar
1 cup Kikkoman Soy Sauce
3 ounces ancho chiles
2 1/2 ounces salt
2 ounces granulated garlic
2 ounces ground cumin
1/2 ounce black pepper
1/2 ounce bay leaf
20 pounds beef short ribs
4 cups red wine
1/2 pound vegetable base

Red Wine Sauce:
1/2 pound diced carrots
1/2 pound diced onions
1/4 pound Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped
1/4 pound diced celery
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 ounces brown sugar
7 cups red wine
2 1/2 quarts demiglace

Directions

To make braised short ribs, in nonreactive container, combine onions, oil, vinegar, soy sauce, chiles, salt, garlic, cumin, pepper and bay leaf. Add short ribs; turn to coat well with marinade. Refrigerate 24 hours.

Sear short ribs in large sauté pan or rondo; remove from pan. Deglaze with red wine and marinade; simmer about 20 minutes. Add vegetable base and 1 gallon water. Cover and braise in 350ºF oven about 1 3/4 hours or until tender. Cool short ribs in braising liquid; remove, trim and portion into 6-ounce rectangles. Split each 6-ounce rectangle into two 3-ounce rectangles per portion. For each serving, in hot pan, crisp 1 portion short ribs in small amount of oil; serve with 1/2 cup red wine sauce.

To make red wine sauce, sauté carrots, onions, apples and celery in oil until soft. Add sugar; cook until sugar melts and starts to caramelize. Add red wine; reduce to syrupy consistency. Add demiglace; simmer on very low heat, skimming away scum as it forms; do not allow sauce to over-reduce. Strain gently, first through a large-holed strainer, then through a fine chinois.

Recipe by Guillermo Pernot, Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar, Philadelphia & Atlantic City

TAGGED IN:

Beef & Lamb (53)Entrees (268)Soy Sauces (156)
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