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Beef Short Ribs Recipe

Oupa's recipe from his cattle farm in Stella - bone-in beef short ribs first charred over flames for smokiness, then slow potjie with red wine, beef bone broth, bacon and whole root vegetables. Don't stir! Served with stywe pap.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Servings: 6
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Potjie: 2-2.5kg bone-in beef short ribs
  • 2 Tbsp tallow or oil
  • 2 Tbsp coriander salt/pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 3 onions chopped + 3 onions halved for layering
  • 200 g streaky bacon
  • 250 ml dry red wine Shiraz
  • 500 ml beef stock
  • 500 ml bone broth
  • 1 bouquet garni thyme/rosemary/parsley
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 4-5 potatoes halved
  • 6 carrots chunked
  • 1 Tbsp flour for dusting
  • 2 cups Pap: 2 cups maize meal
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp butter

Method
 

  1. Season ribs with coriander/salt/pepper. Braai ribs over hot coals 2-3 min/side until charred for smokiness.
  2. Heat tallow in potjie, fry 2 chopped onions + garlic + bacon until golden.
  3. Dust ribs lightly with flour + remaining coriander, add to potjie.
  4. Add wine, reduce until alcohol cooks off, add stock + broth + water + bouquet garni.
  5. Lid on, slow cook on medium coals 1.5 hours. DON'T STIR.
  6. Meanwhile make pap: Boil salted water, whisk in maize meal, reduce, cover 20-30 min, stir with butter until creamy.
  7. Peel/chunk veg. Layer potatoes, then carrots, then halved onions (cut side up) ON TOP without stirring.
  8. Lid on, cook 1 more hour until veg tender and sauce thick.
  9. Rest 5 min, serve ribs + veg over pap with glossy gravy.

Notes

Tallow was Oupa's olive oil. Bone-in ribs = flavour. Layering whole veg is what makes it a potjie not a stew. Use kameeldoring for sear, blue wattle for long coals.