Recipe: Corned Short Ribs

Serves 4.

Note: The meat needs to brine for five days and then must be cooked for several hours before serving. The corned short ribs can be refrigerated in their broth (submerged) for up to 10 days. Curing Salt 1, also called DQ Curing Salt, Prague Powder or Pink Salt, is a nitrite, which is a curing agent. It is made up of sodium chloride (table salt) and sodium nitrite and is dyed pink to distinguish it from table salt. Nitrites give bacon, corned beef, salami and many other cured meats their appealing rosy color. If adding nitrites worries you, skip it. Modified celery juice powder works in the same way as Curing Salt 1 and may be substituted equally, gram for gram. It does not provide a hammy flavor, but it does have an anti-oxidizing property to keep cured meats pinkish. Always use gloves when working with any curing product. Curing Salt 1 is available online via Butcher & Packer and Amazon. From Cathy Barrow.

For the brine:

• 1 quart (4 c.) water, preferably filtered

• 5 tbsp. (50 grams) kosher or sea salt

• 3 tbsp. light brown sugar

• 1 tbsp. honey

• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, lightly crushed

• 1 1/2 tsp. pickling spice

• 1 tsp. Curing Salt No. 1, optional (see Note)

• 4 c. ice cubes

For the short ribs:

• 2 quarts (8 c.) water, plus more as needed

• 5 tbsp. kosher salt

• 1 tsp. pickling spice

• 2 medium carrots, peeled or scrubbed well

• 1 small onion, cut in half

Directions

For the brine: Combine 4 cups water, 5 tablespoons kosher or sea salt, light brown sugar, honey, garlic, peppercorns, 1 1/2 teaspoons pickling spice and curing salt, if using, in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the salts and sugars have dissolved; once the mixture starts to bubble at the edges, remove it from the heat. Add the ice cubes (to kick-start the cooling process), and cool completely before proceeding.

For the short ribs: Stand the meat on a cutting board with the ends of the bones visible. Hold a sharp chef's knife against the bone, then cut the bones away from the meat in one fell swoop; discard the bones. Place the meat in a large bowl or zip-top bag big enough to hold both the meat and the brine. Use a plate to weight the meat in the bowl, or remove all the air from the zip-top bag before sealing it, to ensure the meat is entirely submerged. Refrigerate for 5 days, stirring the meat and brine daily.

When ready to cook, rinse the meat under cool water and discard the brine. Combine the 8 cups water, 5 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon pickling spice, carrots, onion and beet, if using, in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until the salt has dissolved.

Add the brined meat; cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 3 hours, covered, until fork-tender. Check the liquid level in the saucepan frequently, adding more as needed so meat remains submerged.