Beef Short Ribs With Caramelized Scallions

Dreamy beef short ribs with caramelized scallions is one of my favorite recipes from The Breath of a Wok. Although the cut of meat is not the norm in China, you will recognize this as a classic hongshao, or red-braised dish, cooked in soy sauce, sugar and wine. This is my adaptation of the recipe, with the main difference being that the recipe calls for adding the scallions to the pot during the long braise, while I prefer to add them at the last minute as more of a garnish. (Photo was dinner, not a recipe shoot.)

While the short ribs can certainly be served with rice, we serve them with mashed potatoes, as pleases our East meets West family. 

1. Wash and pat dry 2.5 to 3 pounds lean beef short ribs, cut into 8 pieces. If they have visible outer fat, trim them so the sauce won't be overly oily.
2. Cut 20 trimmed scallions (yes, 20) into 3 pieces. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a hot wok and cook scallion pieces over medium-low heat until they are starting to turn golden-caramelized (or dark-caramelized if you prefer). Remove from wok and hold. 
3. Add the short ribs to the wok and pan-fry over medium-high heat, browning all sides, 7-10 minutes. Remove the ribs from the wok, and pour out all oil.
4. Return the ribs to the wok and add 2 cups water as well as 1/4 cup Shaoxing wine, 1/4 cup Zhongba soy sauce and 2 tablespoons sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat until you have a medium simmer. Cover and cook for 1.5 hours. Turn the ribs occasionally and check for doneness. If the meat is not beginning to separate from the bone and get deliciously soft at 1.5 hours, continue to cook until it is. 
5. When almost done, add the scallions to the pot to warm them through. Remove the ribs and scallions to a serving bowl or platter. Skim fat from the sauce if necessary, and pour the sauce over the short ribs. 

Meet Sean

The newest of our recipe contributors—and our first guy!—is Sean St John, a Brit who has lived in Beijing for almost 10 years. His area of interest and expertise is northern China, from the Northeast to Northwest regions and everything in between, and we're super happy to have him bring those meats, grains, noodles and buns our way!

Sean St John has worked with food for most of his life. He started his career in restaurants, managing farmhouse kitchens, seafood beach-bars and Michelin-starred establishments throughout the U.K. In 2015 he moved to Beijing, where he is dedicated to researching, discovering and cooking Northern Chinese cuisines.

Sean’s website, Tea & Oranges, highlights the relatively unknown foods of China’s northern regions—from Heilongjiang to Beijing to Inner Mongolia to Xinjiang—documenting the recipes and stories of these provinces and teaching an ancient cuisine to as many people as possible. Sean’s photography and words can be found on Instagram @teaorangeschina or at teaoranges.com.
 

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