Fall-off-the-bone flavour
By: Sharon Lurie
Since this is the ‘Education Edition’, I’ve decided to put on my Kosher Butcher’s Wife cap and share some insights into the forequarter – an area I’m especially passionate about. With limited space, I’ve had to refine the selection of cuts I’ll be highlighting. I can already hear you saying, “We’re starting off limited by using only the forequarter.” But if ever there was a case for the saying ‘less is more’, this is it. The forequarter offers more than enough to work with – and plenty of delicious possibilities to explore!
Understanding the different cuts of meat can be confusing especially as they are called by different names in different countries. In this edition, I’ll be discussing the rib section, a prized part of the forequarter that’s packed with flavour, tenderness, and versatility. I’ll walk you through the cuts, share preparation tips, and show you how to get the most out of the delicious rib section. This section is illustrated under numbers 1, 9 and 3 on the chart below.
The rib section is home to the famous Scotch Fillet Roast. When left on the bone, it’s known as a standing rib roast – so named because it stands proudly, arched on its flat, boned base (recipe for this roast below titled Rub me up the right way standing rib roast).
The whole Scotch Fillet or Rib Eye Roast is the beautifully marbled muscle that’s been removed from the rib bones (see recipe below titled My Go-To Rib Eye Roast). When sliced into steaks, it becomes those irresistible Rib Eye or Scotch Fillet Steaks we all know and love (see recipe below titled Rib Eye, My Way). Ask any chef – kosher or not – what the best steak is, and chances are they’ll say the Rib Eye or Scotch Fillet, hands down. These steaks can be served on the bone or off, depending on your preference.
So, what happens to the ribs when we cut off the fillet muscle?
Answer: They become the most wonderful Steakhouse Ribs!
Coated in a delicious marinade and cooked to perfection, these ribs are absolutely worth getting your hands (and mouths!) messy with all that rich, sticky, finger-licking sauce (recipe below titled Ribs ala Ryan).
The Rib Eye or Scotch Fillet muscle is encased in a very tender flap – often referred to by butchers as ‘the cap’. This cap can be removed from the eye of the fillet and cooked as a whole piece. It’s not a thick roast, but rather a flat, exceptionally tender cut that works beautifully on the braai, whether served whole or sliced. It’s one of those underrated gems that delivers big flavour with very little effort. The flap is clearly visible on the raw standing rib roast. It is the thin muscle around the eye of the Scotch fillet. Just down the road from the rib section lies another gem – the Top Rib Roast. Small in size but big on flavour, this cut satisfies both kinds of eaters: those who relish getting stuck into juicy ribs, and those who prefer a neat, tender slice of roast beef (recipe below titled Glazed and Roasted, Smoked Top Rib).
When sliced into individual ribs, this cut reveals a thick layer of meat on top, earning it the name Short Ribs.
My favourite way to cook this cut is to get the butcher to smoke the whole piece, then I gently glaze and roast it in the oven, to bring out all those gorgeous, rich flavours.
Recipe below entitled “Glazed and Roasted Smoked Top Rib Roast”. This small cut can also be roasted low and slow (recipe below titled “Taking it Easy Top Rib).
RUB ME UP THE RIGHT WAY STANDING RIB ROAST
ingredients
3kg French trimmed Standing rib roast. (Ask your Butcher to French trim the roast)
⅓ cup of oil
FOR THE RUB:
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried thyme
1 Tbl mustard seeds or 1½ tsp mustard powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp ground ginger
1 Tbl brown sugar
(I like treacle)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
¼ tsp cumin
Pinch of chilli powder
METHOD
Preheat oven to 1800C. Combine all the rub spices in a bowl. Using the palm of your hand, rub the entire roast with ⅓ cup of oil. Rub the roast with the spices and cover the roast lightly with tin foil. Wrap the bones that have been French trimmed with tinfoil so that they don’t burn. Cook for 45 minutes then remove tin foil; baste it well and allow to cook for a further 45 minutes, uncovered. Baste every so often. As this is a bone in roast you may want it to be a little more well done by adding on another 30 minutes. Serve with roast potatoes and your favourite vegetables.
MY GO-TO RIB EYE ROAST The Rolls Royce of Roasts
The large muscle removed off the first couple of ribs is known as the Scotch Fillet Roast or Rib Eye Roast and can be served whole or cut into steaks.
ingredients
This recipe is for a 2½kg Roast
One of my favourite ways to cook a scotch fillet is by browning it on all sides over very high heat. This can either be done on the braai, a lightly oiled frying pan or on the highest heat level in a preheated oven uncovered for 15 minutes. Then follow cooking method below. This is done just to seal it. Remove from high heat when brown, and using a brush, paint the following wet rub over the meat.
3 Tbls brown sugar
2 Tbls grainy mustard paste
¼ cup oil
1 tsp freshly minced garlic
2 Tbls Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp thyme
METHOD
After browning the meat combine all of the above in a small ball and spread over the roast after you have sealed it.
Preheat your oven to 190 – 2000C (all ovens are different). To cook rare, allow 15-20 mins per 500g of meat. To cook it medium allow 20-25 mins per 500g of meat. To cook it well done allow 25-30 minutes per 500g of meat. If you really want to check on doneness, check your roast (at the thickest point) with a meat thermometer. Most thermometers are marked with Rare, Medium, and Well-Done, but if they aren’t here is a guide:
Rare: 1200F = 400C
Medium Rare: 1300F = 550C
Medium: 1400F = 600C
Medium-well: 1500F = 630C
Well-done: 1550F = 700C
When meat is cooked to your desired temperature, tent the meat with tin foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
RIB EYE – MY WAY
This is where the fun begins because there are so many different methods of cooking a steak.
A Scotch fillet or rib eye steak on or off the bone is probably the most popular kosher cuts for a steak.
As I said there are so many different opinions on preparing and cooking a steak. Do we dry age, do we wet age? Do we fry, do we braai, or do we grill? The method that I’m going to share is one that seems to work for me. I get my steaks vacuum packed (a minimum of 250g per steak) and leave them in the bottom drawer of my fridge for at least two weeks! When ready to cook I remove them from the vacuum pack, wash them, pat them dry, and then make up a light marinade which they can marinate in for a couple of hours or overnight. The marinade is for 4 steaks (see recipe below).
ingredients
1 Tbl coarsely ground
black pepper
Half a cup of oil
Quarter of a cup of soy sauce
2 Tbls brown treacle sugar or honey
METHOD
When ready to cook, heat up the pan as hot as you possibly can so that you almost see a shimmer above the pan. We don’t need to add oil to the frying pan as there is oil already on the steak. Cook each steak in a medium sized pan alone, or if the pan is big enough two per pan. Overcrowding will boil them and they won’t get that crispy outer crust that makes the steak so tasty. Cook each side for about 2 to 3 minutes, or a little longer if you want it to be more well done. The high heat gives the steak a wonderful caramelised crust colour. This is known as the Maillard reaction. This is a browning reaction that occurs when proteins and sugars in meat are heated, resulting in a complex mixture of flavour compounds and a characteristic browning.
RIBS ALA RYAN
Once the Scotch fillet (Rib eye) is removed, what’s left behind are the rib bones. These can be cut into individual ribs for slow cooking, smoking, braaing, or braising. Those ribs are usually called steakhouse ribs (recipe below titled Ribs Ala Ryan).
ingredients
3 racks of steakhouse ribs cut up individually
2 litres ginger ale or coca cola
GLAZE:
3 Tbls soy sauce
3 Tbls chutney
3 Tbls apricot jams
3 Tbls tomato PASTE
1 Tbl honey
1 tsp crushed garlic
2 Tbls brown sugar
2 Tbls fresh lemon juice
1 Tbl ginger syrup or 1 heaped tsp fine grated fresh ginger
1 tsp hot chilli sauce or your favourite
peri peri sauce
METHOD
Place the ribs in a large pot and cover with ginger ale or coke. Put a lid on the pot and bring the liquid to the boil. Don’t worry if all the ribs aren’t completely submerged in the liquid, the steam from the liquid will cook those that aren’t submerged. Once boiling, reduce the heat and allow them to simmer for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 1 800C. Meanwhile, combine all the glaze ingredients, keeping a little aside for a final basting. Paint the ribs with glaze ensuring they are well covered. Bake in the oven, uncovered, for 45 minutes with the meaty side down with the back of the bones facing you. Turn the ribs over so that the meaty side faces you and bake for a further 30 minutes, or until they’re a dark brown honey colour. Give the ribs a final basting with the reserved basting and bake for another 15 minutes. If you feel they are not dark or crispy enough, turn the oven up to 2200C, but keep basting every few minutes as they will go dark quite quickly on higher heat. These are also delicious smoked.
GLAZED AND ROASTED SMOKED TOP RIB ROAST
(this normally feeds 4 hungry people)
ingredients
1 smoked top rib roast (ask your butcher to smoke it)
GLAZE:
1 cup mild or hot chutney (whichever you prefer)
100g tomato paste
3 Tbls apricot jam
1 Tbl prepared Dijon mustard
METHOD
Preheat oven to 1900C. Wash the meat well and place it into a roasting dish, not too big as the sauce will evaporate too quickly. Combine all of the sauce ingredients and pour over the meat. Roast uncovered for 40 minutes then cover with tin foil and cook for a further 50 minutes. Remove foil and allow the roast to crisp up and turn a dark caramel colour. Serve with mashed potatoes and your favourite vegetables.
‘TAKE IT EASY’ TOP RIB ROAST
ingredients
¼ cup oil
1 Tbl fresh chopped rosemary
1 heaped tsp fresh garlic crushed
1 packet onion soup powder (I like Imana)
1 heaped tsp coarse black pepper
2 Tbls Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbls sweet chilli sauce
1 top rib roast on the bone
1 roasting bag (using a roasting bag helps to keep the roast moist)
METHOD
Preheat oven to 1600C combine the dry spice ingredients and rub them over the top rib roast and place it the roasting bag. Pour the Worcester sauce and sweet chilli sauce over the meat.. tie the bag tightly and place into a roasting dish and cook low and slow for 3 to 3 ½ hours until liquid starts to thicken up and you see a dark glaze. Please see recipe for ‘Glazed and roasted smoked top rib roast’
