Slow-Roasted Short Ribs (Costela Assada)

Ingredients

• 2.5 kg (5½ lb) beef short rib slab, 3 or 4 bones, with a good layer of meat
• 2 tbsp coarse salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp ground cumin (optional)

To serve

• Farofa (or toasted buttered breadcrumbs), rice and beans, vinagrete (diced tomato, onion and pepper in vinegar)

Steps

1. The day before, trim any thick, hard fat from the top of the ribs, but leave a thin layer.
2. Rub the salt, pepper, garlic, oil, vinegar and cumin all over the ribs. Wrap tightly and refrigerate overnight.
3. Heat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Set the ribs bone-side down on a rack in a roasting pan.
4. Cover the pan tightly with foil and roast for 3½ hours, until the meat has shrunk back from the bone ends and a knife slides in without much effort.
5. Uncover, raise the heat to 220°C (425°F) and roast 20 to 30 minutes more, until the top is browned and crackling.
6. Move the ribs to a board and rest for 15 minutes, loosely covered.
7. Cut between the bones into big ribs, or slice the meat against the grain. Spoon the pan juices over, skimming off the fat first.

Notes

• Charcoal version: in Brazil this is cooked over embers for hours on a skewer or grill; the oven method gets close.
• Tough ribs? Re-cover and give them another 30 minutes at the low temperature.
• Leftovers: shredded and tucked into rolls with vinagrete, they make superb sandwiches. Fridge 3 to 4 days; freeze the shredded meat in its juices up to 3 months and reheat to steaming hot.