Steak Salad
Short Rib & Sides
So, there is this thing in my life that happens every once in a while. A night of two friends bringing to the table great food, great wine, great booze, and great conversation. A night of gluttony. Scott MacRae and I have had these get togethers for about 13 years. They are, for the lack of a better way of saying it, cathartic.
Sometimes they happen during the worst of times, and sometimes the best of times. The best part of these encounters is that there is no judgement between us. Not one bit of judgement on his part when I walk through that door. NO JUDGEMENT.
Now, after we have gotten past the drama that is surrounding our world at that time, and have ingested a couple of glasses of the newest find, we start to talk about the things that really matter.
What are we going to have for dinner, and what are we drinking with it?
This time around I found a place that would sell me a Short Rib Plate. This comes from the ribs 6 though 10. They are closer to the belly, typically cut in 4 rib sections. You can usually find these at your local butcher shop. The butcher will help you cut it up however you would like.
Now, as of late, I have been quite a fan of my Anova Thermal Circulator. There are so many ways to get food to the table. I am always learning, and finding new ways to do things. I will try anything, and do anything to make a better product. So you will need a thermal circulator in order to make this recipe.
What are we going to have for dinner, and what are we drinking with it?
First, there is a membrane that lines the inner side of the plate. You can peel this away with your fingers. Some people like leaving it on. Gives a little chew to the short rib. Some people like taking it off. They say that the smoke penetrates the meat better with it off. To each their own. In this instance I took it off. I also cut the rib into two sections.
Mix all together except for the Pasilla, bay leaves, and the garlic cloves. Rub generously all over the two sections of the ribs.
If you have Vacuum Sealer they are a great help. They suck all the air out of the bag, and allow the water in the thermal circulator to contact the product. You can also use ziplock bags (just make sure you use the freezer type because those are less likely to break open).
Place the ribs into bags and add the Pasilla, the bay leaves, and the garlic. Suck the air out of the bag and you are ready to go.
This is not for the impatient. This is going to take a long time. It is so worth it.
185° F for 12 hours - Meat peels cleanly from the bone, tender and flaky
185° F for 24 hours - Meat start to fall off the bone, very tender and flakey
144° F for 24 hours - Meat eats like a strip loin steak, does not fall off the bone
144° F for 48 hours - Meat eats like a very tender tenderloin, the sweet spot for me
129° F for 48 hours - Rare to mid-rare steak, very tender
129° F for 72 hours - Rare to mid-rare steak, some people say this is the one. It starts to get a little mealy for me.
For this situation I will be doing 144° F for 48 hours, then we will put them on the Traeger at 180° F for 2 hours.
Render out the bacon until crispy and save for later. Toss the potatoes with the bacon fat, salt, and pepper. Roast at 350° F until soft. Smash with a fork in the pan that they are in. Just one smash per potato. Add cheese. Back into the oven until melted and starting to caramelize. Top with bacon bits.
When you cut the ribs out of the vac pack bags reserve the liquid in a small pan. Allow to reduce in half on a low flame. Taste for seasoning, but it should be pretty close to perfect.
Take the parsley with the stems in one hand, and cut in one direction (kind of a chiffonade). Then turn the pile of chiffonade parsley and run your knife through the pile 5 to 6 times. Theoretically making little squares. Over chopping causes the parsley to start to smell like grass, and taste like it. Please don’t over chop. Place into a bowl. Smash the garlic and run your knife through it, fine chop this. Add the garlic to the bowl, and follow with the rest of the ingredients. Add salt to taste. Remember the fish sauce is very salty.
There is a story behind everything we do, or buy. I started the ribs two days before I went over to Scott’s house. I wanted to bring something outrageous to dinner. Something that we could both just really enjoy. Fat and Sassy.
I also brought over a bottle of Dunham Artist Series 2013 Merlot. There is a story behind that as well. I bought the bottle on a trip over to Walla Walla to pick up some tomato starts for my garden from Amy the Tomato Girl at Frog Hollow Farm. She and her husband grow some of the most amazing produce in the state of Washington. That gave me a chance to stop into Dunham Cellars to remember a good friend who passed a little while back, Eric Dunham. Our lives are filled with wonderful people that have an effect on us. As I have said before, “The sum of the events makes up the man (or woman)”.
We finished the night off with a little Double Rye from High West.
Such a good night. Again, no judgement, and a lot of laughs. Thank you Scott.