Hello my loves,

Ooooh mama, have I got some deliciousness for you today! It is now officially and inarguably braising weather where I live. Doors and windows are shuttered against the cold, which creates the perfect indoor canvas upon which to unleash a fragrant winter braise. Few things provide more cold-weather comfort than a pot of something dark and delicious bubbling gently away on the stove, its flavours working their quiet, slow magic as the house fills with tantalising aromas.

Today’s recipe is one of my perennial faves. It features chunky beef short ribs braised in Korean-inspired flavours, along with a secret ingredient: pears. I’ve traditionally been suspicious of fruit-and-meat combos, possibly triggered by an adolescence that featured one too many bowls of apricot chicken. But lately I’ve started to play in the fruity field again, and I’ve found some very pleasant surprises there. I’ve been delighting the household with a fetching lamb and prune tagine, but that we will save for another time, for today is all about beef and pears. Trust me: it works. After braising with the meat for several hours, the pears simply melt away, leaving nothing but an elegant earthiness in their wake - the perfect offset to the richness of the ribs. It also happens to be pear season right now, so there’s no better time to quietly slip one of the world’s most beautiful fruits into your braising pot.

This recipe requires the Korean flavour staples doenjang and gochujang, which you can source at Asian grocers, or possibly even in the international aisle of your supermarket. You’ll also need some beef stock, and you know what I’m going to say about that: please strongly consider making your own. It makes oodles of difference to the flavour, and it’s really very easy. Directions are below.

And so my darlings, I shall leave you with my recipe for a winter delight: Korean-style braised beef shortribs with secret pears. In addition, I also send you my best wishes for a beautiful weekend. I’ll be braising and knitting and walking and resting, and taking full advantage of all the cosy delights that winter has to offer. Until next week my loves 💙

Korean-style braised beef ribs with secret pears

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 kg beef ribs (you want nice chunky plump ones with lots of meat on them, for which a visit to your butcher may be required)
A little olive oil
6 large cloves garlic, peeled and roughly sliced
10g ginger, thinly sliced (you can leave the skin on)
1⁄2 cup (125ml) mirin
3⁄4 cup (190ml) soy sauce
2 teaspoons doenjang (fermented soy bean paste)
2 teaspoons gochugang (fermented chilli paste)
1 large or 2 medium pears, grated (320-350g total)
500ml beef stock (see below)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1⁄2 tablespoon cracked black pepper 

To serve (optional)
One spring onion, finely sliced
Two pasture-raised eggs
Vegetable oil for frying

You will also need
A stove-top suitable pot or dish with a snug-fitting lid, big enough to hold all your ingredients.

Heat a little olive oil on a high heat in the pot or dish you will braise the ribs in, and brown the ribs all over. Once the ribs are nice and coloured, turn the heat down to medium and add the garlic and ginger, then stir for one minute. Add the mirin, soy, doenjang paste and gochugang paste, and stir everything around the ribs until the pastes have dissolved. Add the stock, sesame oil, grated pear and pepper, and give everything a stir to combine.

Bring the braising liquid back to the boil, cover everything with a cartouche,** then place the lid on the pot. **(A cartouche is very easy to make! Directions here - it isn't essential to use one, but I find it helps to keep the moisture in the ribs. If you don't want to use one, just put the lid straight on the pot).

Simmer your covered ribs on a very low simmer for 4-5 hours, until they're meltingly tender when you pull them gently with a fork. Taste your braising liquid - if you'd like a stronger flavour, you can boil it rapidly to reduce it a little. Just make sure you're keeping an eye on it and tasting it regularly, so that it doesn't become too strong or salty (although a dash of water or extra stock should fix this if it happens). Serve the ribs over steamed rice, with a slug of chilli oil, a drizzle of sesame oil, and/or a sprinkling of additional soy sauce if desired.

For the optional fluffy egg omelette, beat the eggs in a bowl with a fork until roughly combined. Heat a good slug of oil in a frypan until it shimmers with heat. Add the egg - it will start to bubble and puff as soon as it hits the oil. You can gently pull any uncooked parts through with a fork if needed. Cook until the top is just set, and remove from the pan onto a paper towel to drain. Roll it up and slice it thinly, then scatter it over your ribs and rice, along with your sliced spring onions.

Beef stock

1kg beef bones
One large whole onion, sliced (or two large handfuls onion skins if you have them - I save them in the freezer)
8 cloves garlic, skins on, chopped in half (or a handful of garlic skins if you’re a skin-saver like me)
One carrot, chopped into chunks
Any dodgy vege ends you have lying about

On the stove top
Place everything in a pot and add water until the beef bones are just covered. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and cook on a very low simmer, covered, for 6-8 hours. Strain and your stock is ready to use.

In the slow cooker
Place everything in your slow cooker, and add water until the beef bones are just covered. Cook on high for 12-24 hours. Strain, then use. Stock can be refrigerated for about a week, or frozen for months.

Love, Rachel xxx