Braised meats

[ElizabethB]

Just the thought of braised beef short ribs makes my mouth water.

A couple of months ago I found beef short ribs at Costco. It was a happy accident because they do not always have short ribs. They were $7.49 per lb. George nearly cried with joy. Braised beef short ribs is one of his favorite dishes.

I have not found the ribs at Costco since.

I called several locally owned meat markets and specialty markets. Several of the markets had short ribs priced from $10 to $12 per lb. Kind of pricy for bones with a little meat on them. By chance I remembered a little out of the way meat market. They had short ribs for $5.49 per lb.

I purchased 24 pieces and put them in the freezer. Since short ribs take a lot of time to braise I make a large batch and freeze the excess.

I just went to the freezer to pull something out for dinner and spotted the short ribs. YES!!.

I won't have time to defrost then cook the short ribs properly for dinner tonight but tomorrow we feast!

This morning I harvested 3 Green Zebra and 1 Brandywine Pink tomatoes and my first cucumber from my wonderful table height SFG boxes. Thank you My Dear George! I LOVE my table height boxes!!!

So tomorrow's menu is Braised Beef Short Ribs with wild mushrooms - Morels, Porcini or Chanterelles depending on what I can find. A mixed green salad with my garden fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and basil. Wild mushroom/saffron Risotto. I rarely cook carbs but braised short ribs SCREAM for a wonderful, creamy Risotto. That is where portion control comes in. A little goes a long way.

My normal cooking habit is lean and green. High protein, low/no carb. When I told George about my plans for dinner tomorrow he melted. He gave me a big hug, a nuzzle on the neck and said "Honey don't you need new clothes for your "Girls Trip" next week?". WHAT????

I am so blessed to have this wonderful, crazy and sometimes frustrating man in my life.

Got to go. I need carrots, dried mushrooms and beef base.

Braised short ribs will be dancing in my dreams tonight.

[applestar]

What a FUN post! It really made me smile

[pepperhead212]

Many of my favorite meat dishes are braised. Even pork ribs, which we usually don't think of as braised, I chop up using a heavy cleaver, and braise in many ways. One of my favorites is the Chinese 1,2,3,4,5 spareribs, to which I sometimes add 5 spice powder, for even more flavor.

[ElizabethB]

When I visited my secret meat market they also had pork shank, cut to order, for $1.50 per lb. So I had some shank cut into 2" thick slices to make Osso Bucco. I made it once with veal shank at $15 per lb. OUCH!!! One of my favorite restaurants makes Osso Bucco with pork shank. Next time I treat My Love it will be Pork Shank Osso Bucco. His "treats" are few and far between. If I were a grasping person I could get whatever I wanted just for a full, rich meal.

George gets a rich "treat" dinner once per quarter. The rest of the time I cook "lean and green". I do consider myself to be very good home cook. I know how to use herbs, spices and cooking techniques to turn the mundane into "Haute Cuisine".

Shut my mouth!!

Seriously - my goal is to provide George with lean, green wonderfully flavorful meals.

I watch cooking shows and troll the web for unique, full bodied, flavorful recipes that are high protein low/no carb, veggie rich.