Espresso-and-whisky-braised ribs
Serves: 6
Prep time: 55 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Ant Duncan
Espresso-and-whisky-braised ribs
Coffee pairs well with beef, the acidity helping flavour and tenderise the meat. Smoky peated Scotch helps lend depth to the stew too
Serves: 6
Prep time: 55 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
561Kcal
Fat
28gr
Saturates
12gr
Carbs
16gr
Sugars
14gr
Fibre
2gr
Protein
31gr
Salt
1.4gr
Nadine Brown
When Nadine isn't busy developing delicious recipes and using her experience as a health food editor to create healthy treats, she's munching and reviewing her way around her beloved home town of Tottenham. Find out what she's cooking and eating on Instagram @n0sh.17
See more of Nadine Brown’s recipes
Nadine Brown
When Nadine isn't busy developing delicious recipes and using her experience as a health food editor to create healthy treats, she's munching and reviewing her way around her beloved home town of Tottenham. Find out what she's cooking and eating on Instagram @n0sh.17
See more of Nadine Brown’s recipes
Ingredients
- 1.6kg beef short ribs
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 5 garlic cloves, sliced
- 600ml beef stock*, made with 1 stock cube
- 300ml Scotch whisky (ideally peated)
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce*
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, plus 1 tsp
- 4 bay leaves
- 50g dark brown sugar
- 2½ tbsp espresso instant coffee
- 2 tsp cornflour
Step by step
- Preheat the oven to 170°C, fan 150°C, gas 3. Season the beef well. Heat the oil in a large, cast-iron lidded casserole and fry the ribs for 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until well browned – you might need to do this in batches. Remove the beef and set aside.
- Lower the heat and add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic, frying for 4-5 minutes, until soft and starting to colour. Stir in the stock, Scotch, Worcestershire sauce and balsamic vinegar. Add the bay leaves and stir in the sugar and espresso powder until combined. Bring to the boil then turn off the heat, add the beef back into the casserole with any juices and cover. The ribs don’t have to be fully submerged but they should be mostly covered. Transfer to the oven and cook for 3 hours.
-
Once the beef is falling off the bone, remove from the sauce along with the bay leaves. Using a large spoon, skim the fat off the surface and discard. Mix the cornflour with 2 teaspoons of water and stir into the sauce. Simmer over a low heat for a few minutes until thickened. Meanwhile, remove the bones from the beef and pull the meat into chunky pieces. Return the meat to the sauce and season to taste. Serve with creamy polenta or mashed potatoes, and steamed green veg, if you like.
*Ensure your stock and Worcestershire sauce are gluten free, if required
