Okinawan-Style Braised Beef Short Ribs with Maple Syrup Glaze

First, if you have not yet, please check out my red wine braised short ribs recipe for my favorite beef short rib preparation.

Okinawan-Style Braised Beef Short Ribs with Maple Syrup Glaze

Okinawan braises and stews such as rafute and soki prepare pork belly or ribs with dashi, awamori (a rice distillate), shoyu (Japanese soy sauce), brown sugar, and mirin (sweet rice wine). The brown sugar and mirin inspire my use of and their substitution by maple syrup, resulting in a twist very much still reminiscent of the Okinawan classics. And, while you can certainly follow tradition and braise pork, here I use beef short ribs—a great pairing to the awamori and maple syrup.

Awamori and sake are both alcoholic beverages made from rice. Where sake is brewed, however, awamori is distilled. Awamori, or shima-sake (island sake), is indigenous to Okiwana, where it was first produced in the 15th century after the art of distillation arrived from Thailand. Even today, awamori is made from Thai indica and not Japanese japonica rice. Generally 50 or 60 proof and aged six months to many years, awamori is drunk both neat and on the rocks. Traditionally the braising alcohol in rafute, I call for it in this dish, too. While sake will work in a pinch, a closer substitute is Scotch whisky.

Plated with chive-infused thai jasmine rice and chive blossoms

Maple syrup is the concentrated sap of the maple tree. Black and sugar maple trees are tapped and the sap is gathered into a bucket or, in the case of larger-scale operations, directed via tubing straight to the production facility. There, the sap is boiled down and reduced to one-fortieth its previous volume, until it reaches a density of about 70% sugar. Pure maple syrup is filtered but undergoes no further manipulation and receives no additional ingredients. So-called "pancake syrup" is primarily corn, not maple, syrup and is in no way comparable to or a substitute for maple syrup.

Maple syrup is produced throughout the northeast of the North American continent, with Quebec, Vermont, New York, and Maine the largest producers, in descending order. Both Quebec and Vermont maple syrups are excellent. For use as a condiment, I prefer the lightest, "fanciest" grade: "#1 Extra Light" for Quebec syrups and "Vermont Fancy" for Vermont. For cooking, including this recipe, I prefer one of the medium grades, such as Quebec's "No. 1 Medium Grade A" or Vermont's "Dark Amber."

Chive Blossoms

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons grape seed oil
4 pounds bone-in beef short rib, preferably English cut but flanken fine, trimmed of gratuitous fat
4 shallots, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 inches ginger, minced
2 pods star anise
1 cup awamori
1/2 cup japanese soy sauce (shoyu)
1 cup pure maple syrup, such as Vermont Dark Amber
about 2 cups shiitake dashi (recipe)
1 bunch chive blossoms, to garnish
sea salt, to taste

Let the short ribs rest at room temperature at least 60 minutes before cooking. Lightly season on all sides with sea salt.

Heat a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the grape seed oil. Once hot, add the short ribs, fattiest side down. Sear each side until brown, turning as needed, 7-9 minutes total. While searing the final side, add the sliced shallot. Saute until starting to turn color, about 90 seconds. Add the minced garlic and ginger and cook until aromatic, about 60 more seconds.

Add the star anise pods, awamori, japanese soy sauce, and maple syrup. Add shiitake-dashi as needed until the ribs are submerged two-thirds in liquid. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer, and cover.

Braise, turning the short ribs over halfway through, until the meat is fork tender and beginning to dislodge from the bone.

Reserve the meat to a warm plate. Pass the braising liquid through a chinoise and return to the dutch oven. Discard the solids. If plating without the bone, debone and return the bones to the dutch oven. If English cut, the meat will "snap" off the bone if you slice the bottom band of connective tissue off the bottom of the bone. Once the meat is cool enough to handle, trim off any remaining large pieces of fat and otherwise prep for plating. Raise the heat to high and bring the braising liquid to a heavy boil. Reduce, stirring occasionally, until a thin syrup, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.

Return the short ribs to the pot. While still boiling the syrup, glaze the short ribs, turning them to coat all sides, about 2 minutes.

Plated, garnished, and ready to serve

Divide the meat among warm plates. Serve with chive-infused thai jasmine rice. Garnish with chive blossoms. Spoon a little glazing liquid around the plate, but not too much (it should be rather sweet and salty). Pairs well with Pinot Noir from Oregon's Willamette Valley AVA.