Sometimes, when we have the opportunity to gather the larger family together, we'll sit down to a table featuring a gorgeous rib roast, roasted vegetables, and all manner of delightfully seasoned culinary treats. When I'm keeping things small, I have also found a great way to get that same feeling in a smaller meal. Using my handy Instant Pot, a heavy sheet pan, and my favorite skillet, I set about recreating the essence of the meal described above with beef short ribs, a bevy of root vegetables, fresh mushrooms, and the makings of a flavorful sauce that will find a place in your dreams.
The key to making this menu work is to start with the veggies roasting in the oven and then get the ribs cooking in the pressure cooker. While those both cook, you can assemble a fantastic sauce and sauté fresh mushrooms. Then the sauce finds its way to both the ribs and the mushrooms and everything finds everything else as it comes time to serve it.
One of the things I love most about this menu is that it foregoes any fancy dishes and just asks for a nice sized serving bowl for each guest around the table. It gives me the flavor of a fancy rib roast with the feeling of a hearty stew. And, for me, that's just about perfect for Christmas. Happy Holidays!
Ginger-Garlic Short Ribs with Roasted Vegetables and Glazed Mushrooms
- 4 c. chopped root vegetables: I used potatoes, parsnips, sweet potatoes, and carrots
- 1 T. canola oil
- 2 tsp. seasoned salt of your choice: I used Weber's Kick'n Chicken seasoning
- 3 lb. beef short ribs
- 1 tsp. each: garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger, black pepper, and salt
- ¾ c. soy sauce (tamari for a gluten free option)
- ¼ c. brown sugar
- 1 T. rice vinegar
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
- 1 tsp. minced fresh garlic
- 1 tsp. chili garlic sauce
- 2 T. corn starch
- 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
- 8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the chopped root vegetables with the canola oil and seasoned salt. Pour the vegetables onto a heavy sheet pan or bottom section of a broiler pan and roast in the oven for 45 minutes; stir the vegetables once halfway through cooking.
While the vegetables roast, prepare the short ribs. Place the metal rack into the insert of your pressure cooker and pour in 1 cup of water. Combine 1 teaspoon of each: garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger, black pepper and salt; rub this mixture all over the beef ribs. Place the beef ribs on the rack, so they are above the water under the rack.
Put the lid on the pressure cooker, make sure the valve is in the sealed position, and then cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes (do not open the valve for 10 minutes after the 30 minute cook time is over). Once it's released naturally for 10 minutes, finish with a quick release (open the valve).
Meanwhile combine the ingredients for the sauce (soy sauce through cornstarch) in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking until smooth and thickened, about 5 minutes. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the mixture and brush the remaining sauce over the ribs in the pressure cooker; keep warm.
In a medium skillet, heat the toasted sesame oil over medium-high heat and sauté the mushrooms until tender. Add the reserved sauce and toss well to coat.
To serve the meal, add the roasted root vegetables, some ribs, and some mushrooms to a large serving bowl. Serve hot.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 1 hour