Speckle Park Cook Book Glossary

Plate

Short ribs

Short ribs are meaty, rectangular pieces from the lower ribs, taken from the plate, chuck or rib regions. They are rich, fatty and heavy with collagen, and they become incredibly tender and sticky when cooked with patience.

They come in two main styles. The English cut is a thick block of meat on a single short bone, ideal for slow cooking. The flanken cut is sliced thinly across several bones, which is the style used for Korean kalbi and quick grilling. Very large, meaty ones from the plate are sometimes sold as dino ribs.

Choose pieces with a thick layer of meat on top of the bone rather than mostly bone and fat.

Techniques

English-cut short ribs are made for a braise. Sear them well first, then cook in a covered pot with wine, stock and aromatics at 160°C (325°F) for about three hours, until the meat nearly slides off the bone. Chill the liquid and lift off the solid fat before reducing it to a sauce.

They also take beautifully to smoking: cook the big dino ribs at about 120°C (250°F) for six to eight hours until a dark crust forms and the meat is wobbly.

Flanken strips cook in minutes on a hot grill after a sweet-salty marinade. Short ribs can also be simmered in soups and stews such as Korean galbitang, where they give the broth great body.

26 recipes