Asian-Style Braised Short Ribs

Ingredients
•5-7 pounds beef short ribs, (ideally, but not necessarily) cut into 4-ounce portions
•1 cup soy sauce
•1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
•3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
•1 (5-inch) stalk lemongrass, halved and smashed
•1 tablespoon peeled and minced ginger
•1/2 cup light brown sugar
•1 quart water
•1/2 cup sliced green onion bottoms, white part only
•3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
•1/4 cup fresh orange juice
•1/4 cup hoisin sauce
•2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
•Jasmine Rice, for serving
•2 tablespoons finely grated orange rind, for serving
•Sliced green onion tops, optional for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large roasting pan or Dutch oven, combine the short ribs, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, brown sugar, water, green onion bottoms, crushed red pepper, and orange juice. Make sure that the stockpot is deep enough so that the short ribs are submerged in the liquid.

Bake the short ribs, covered, for 3-4 hours, or until the meat is tender and falling off the bones. Remove the short ribs from the braising liquid and cover. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Reserve the braising liquid. Refrigerate to bring fat to the top.Drain the fat off of the cooking liquid and discard. Place the remaining braising juices in a saucepan with 1/4 cup of the hoisin sauce and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the liquid until only about 2 cups remain. Strain through a fine-meshed strainer, discarding the solids. Stir in the lemon juice.

Remove the rib meat from the bone and trim additional fat. Return the short ribs and the reduced sauce to the roasting pan or Dutch oven, coating the short ribs well with the sauce. Bake for 10-15 minutes in a pre-heated 425 degree oven, until the short ribs are heated through and slightly glazed. Serve hot over jasmine rice. Season each portion with the orange zest and garnish with the green onions if desired.