Clay Cooker Short Rib Beef and Carrot Ragu--Ready in Record Time!
Have you tried beef short ribs? Those little, unassuming guys are totally packed with amazing flavor and the meat is really tender and moist. I don’t get them very often, but every time I do I’m struck with how great they are. I usually eat them out, at a Korean barbeque or some such place, so I was excited to find a recipe that I could adapt to VitaClay to try them out at home.
That way I can source them well: make sure they’re at least organic, or pastured from a local farm if at all possible. And this recipe is different: more Italian than Asian, so I thought it was worth a try. It came out great in VitaClay, as all meat (and really everything) does. The meat wasn’t mushy at all: it had that great texture and taste that I love about short ribs, without the bland slow-cooker results that I used to get before VitaClay.
Ingredients:
1 lb beef short ribs
10 cloves garlic
8 oz pkg. peeled fresh baby carrots, chopped
1 lb Roma tomatoes, chopped
3 oz tomato paste (I like this one)
1 t garlic powder
A few oregano leaves, chopped, or ½ t dried oregano
½cup broth or red wine
Salt & black pepper
Fresh basil leaves (optional)
Directions:
Sprinkle beef short ribs with salt & pepper.
Place beef in clay pot, and add garlic (smashed, w/o skin).
Add carrots and tomatoes (and other veggies you might want to add).
In a medium bowl, whisk together tomato paste and water or wine. Poor over meat and vegetables. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.
Stir well before serving. Top servings with basil leaves.
I've never met a recipe that I followed to the letter; I’m always looking for ways to change it up a little. So for this one you could add other veggies, like celery or zucchini squash (just get organic zucchini because those bad boys can be GMO otherwise). Just mix it up, have fun and enjoy!
