Vaca Frita (Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine Sauce)

Ingredients	Amount
Braised Short Ribs
Onions, julienned	3 lbs.
Vegetable oil	5 cups
Red wine vinegar	2 cups
Kikkoman Soy Sauce	1 cup
Ancho chiles	3 oz.
Salt	2 ½ oz.
Granulated garlic	2 oz.
Ground cumin	2 oz.
Black pepper	½ oz.
Bay leaf	½ oz.
Beef short ribs	20 lbs.
Red wine	4 cups
Vegetable base	½ lb.
Red Wine Sauce
Carrots, diced	½ lb.
Onions, diced	½ lb.
Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped	¼ lb.
Celery, diced	¼ lb
Vegetable oil	3 Tbsp.
Brown sugar	3 oz.
Red wine	7 cups
Demiglace	2 ½ qts.

Method

1. To make braised short ribs, in nonreactive container, combine onions, oil, vinegar, soy sauce, chiles, salt, garlic, cumin, pepper and bay leaf. Add short ribs; turn to coat well with marinade. Refrigerate 24 hours.

2. Sear short ribs in large sauté pan or rondo; remove from pan. Deglaze with red wine and marinade; simmer about 20 minutes. Add vegetable base and 1 gallon water. Cover and braise in 350°F oven about 1 ¾ hours or until tender. Cool short ribs in braising liquid; remove, trim and portion into 6-ounce rectangles. Split each 6-ounce rectangle into two 3-ounce rectangles per portion. For each serving, in hot pan, crisp 1 portion short ribs in small amount of oil; serve with ½ cup red wine sauce.

3. To make red wine sauce, sauté carrots, onions, apples and celery in oil until soft. Add sugar; cook until sugar melts and starts to caramelize. Add red wine; reduce to syrupy consistency. Add demiglace; simmer on very low heat, skimming away scum as it forms; do not allow sauce to over-reduce. Strain gently, first through a large-holed strainer, then through a fine chinois.

Yield: 20 servings

Source: Guillermo Pernot, Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar
Philadelphia & Atlantic City