Sticky Beef Ribs with Prune, Jalapeño and Olive Relish
This decadent dish from Chef Stephanie Cmar combines a sweet and tangy prune barbecue sauce with a savory and spicy relish made with olives, jalapeño, and–you guessed it–more prunes! Beef ribs slowly braise until tender then char on the grill, caramelizing the sauce and crisping the outer edges. The result is a tender bite that hits all of the senses at once!
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- Large Baking Dish
- Small Saucepan
Ingredients
For the beef rib and barbecue sauce
- 4-5 lbs beef rib plate usually 3 bone-in ribs, also known as “dino” ribs
- 4 TBSP ketchup
- 4 TBSP brown sugar
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 TBSP sweet chili sauce
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 TBSP honey
- ½ cup sherry vinegar
- ¾ cup pitted California prunes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups beef stock
For the prune, jalapeño, and olive relish
- 1 tsp lime zest about the zest of 1 lime
- ¼ cup brandy
- ¼ cup agave
- 1 jalapeño seeded and minced
- 1 shallot brunoise (finely diced)
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup California prunes diced
- 1 cup Castelvetrano olives pitted and roughly chopped
- 1 TBSP white wine vinegar
- 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup picked arugula or microgreens to garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the ribs by running a butter knife under a corner of the membrane that lines the back of the plate. Firmly grip the corner and remove the membrane completely. Slice between the bones to separate into individual ribs.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, minced garlic, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, paprika, honey, sherry vinegar, prunes, and ½ cup water. Season with a heavy pinch of salt and pepper, then heat over medium for 20 minutes, or until the prunes are very soft and the liquid has thickened some.
- Let the marinade cool a bit. Using an upright or immersion blender, blend until smooth. Set ¼ of the marinade aside.
- Preheat the oven to 300° F (150°C).
- Place the ribs in a roasting tray or large baking dish and massage with the remaining 3/4 of marinade. Pour over the beef stock and cover tightly with foil, crimping around the edges to seal in moisture. Roast for 2 ½ - 3 hours, until meat is just starting to fall off the bone. Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
- While the ribs cook, prepare the salsa. Combine the lime zest, brandy, agave, jalapeño and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, or until the alcohol burns off. Stir in the shallot and garlic and remove from the heat.
- Add the prunes, olives, vinegar, and olive oil, and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
- As the ribs cool, strain off as much of the rendered fat as you can from the pan. Transfer the braising liquid to a saucepan, stir in the reserved marinade, then reduce over medium heat until the consistency of barbecue sauce.
- Preheat the grill to high (450-600° F or 230-315° C). Alternatively, you can use your oven’s broiler.
- Coat the ribs with the sauce, then grill them until charred, basting throughout, 4-5 minutes per side.
- Top the ribs with heaping spoonfuls of the relish, garnish with arugula or microgreens and serve!
Video
Notes
Extra relish may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
Serving: 1portionCalories: 553kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 36gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 1416mgPotassium: 1088mgFiber: 4gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 668IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 5mg