Shin of beef 'mega' reduction
Discussion
Inspired by watching various foody videos earlier on the Good Food channel, I bought some shin of beef. In to the slow cooker it went with three bay, half a bottle of merlot, some beef stock, fresh thyme, garlic, onion, carrot and salt and pepper.
I then went out for 6 hours.
I returned to a mediocre dish of tender beef and a good base 'stock' that was in desperate need of reduction. And then some.
Thinking back to an earlier video where a fantastic-looking New York deli sandwich had been made with the addition of beef 'debris' as they call it - basically a slow-cooked huge beef joint shredded and added back in to its own stock to tenderise even more. It is then used to underpin the already amazing sandwich by adding another seriously flavoursome layer.
So I strained the stock from the beef and reduced until it was literally like a jam, then added back to the now shredded shin, onion, carrot and seasonings.
I have just enjoyed a triple-decker beef 'debris' sandwich with mustard and I absolutely urge you to do the same!
I then went out for 6 hours.
I returned to a mediocre dish of tender beef and a good base 'stock' that was in desperate need of reduction. And then some.
Thinking back to an earlier video where a fantastic-looking New York deli sandwich had been made with the addition of beef 'debris' as they call it - basically a slow-cooked huge beef joint shredded and added back in to its own stock to tenderise even more. It is then used to underpin the already amazing sandwich by adding another seriously flavoursome layer.
So I strained the stock from the beef and reduced until it was literally like a jam, then added back to the now shredded shin, onion, carrot and seasonings.
I have just enjoyed a triple-decker beef 'debris' sandwich with mustard and I absolutely urge you to do the same!
Edited by Pferdestarke on Saturday 4th June 20:14
Wow that is fantastic Bhp ( I can never spell your German name 
) !
I have the same problem with slow cookers, it is always too watery because obviously there is no reduction. However my wife manages to get a thick result full of taste. Whether she sneaks in some cornflour at some stage I do not know.
Your result reminds me of a beef version of pulled pork. Top notch mate.
Andy
) !I have the same problem with slow cookers, it is always too watery because obviously there is no reduction. However my wife manages to get a thick result full of taste. Whether she sneaks in some cornflour at some stage I do not know.
Your result reminds me of a beef version of pulled pork. Top notch mate.
Andy
Andy! If I could have had a wager on who this dish would appeal to, it would've been you!
It was very much like the beef version of pulled pork, although with the addition of such an intensely reduced red wine stock it packed more flavour.
I would have to add some oriental spice for it to work for me in mandarin pancakes but with the inclusion of some chopped green onion it would be appealing.
Anyway, here's my inspiration - from 4:00
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPeeIKWyQkI
It was very much like the beef version of pulled pork, although with the addition of such an intensely reduced red wine stock it packed more flavour.
I would have to add some oriental spice for it to work for me in mandarin pancakes but with the inclusion of some chopped green onion it would be appealing.
Anyway, here's my inspiration - from 4:00
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPeeIKWyQkI
Edited by Pferdestarke on Saturday 4th June 22:21
Kermit power said:
Ooh, that looks stunning!
Would you mind posting up the quantities you used? After that, I'll just need to figure out how to replicate it without a slow cooker!
Sure.Would you mind posting up the quantities you used? After that, I'll just need to figure out how to replicate it without a slow cooker!
1.2kg beef shin, boneless
half a large onion
two medium carrots
3 bay leaves
3 garlic cloves, bruised, skin on
2 beef stock cubes
1.5 pints of boiling water
half a bottle of red wine
50 turns of black pepper
2 heaped tsp of maldon salt
1 tbsp of tomato puree
handful of fresh or dried thyme
No browning of meat necessary, although it would probably add a little flavour to the end result.
Once cooked for 6 plus hours at circa 90c in a slow cooker or oven, let it rest a little, then ladle the liquid in to a wide-mouthed pan and bubble until it is thick, powerful and like syrup. Add back to the shredded beef and veg.
Any type of casserole dish with a lid will do.
Looks awesome.
I do the same thing with the beef and reduction but use it to fill half a roast squash (acorn) also caramelise some onions with star anise until crisp and sticky and scatter over the top. My favourite autumn dish.
Make sure you don't use much/ any salt in the initial braise though (i.e no stock cubes) as it makes the reduction too salty. I like to use stout as the braising liquor.
I do the same thing with the beef and reduction but use it to fill half a roast squash (acorn) also caramelise some onions with star anise until crisp and sticky and scatter over the top. My favourite autumn dish.
Make sure you don't use much/ any salt in the initial braise though (i.e no stock cubes) as it makes the reduction too salty. I like to use stout as the braising liquor.
The amount of water you add seems high, and prob why it has not reduced. Slow cooking makes its own liquid from all the added ingredients being sweated out, so no need to add just water to bulk things out. YOu will be surprised with just what liquid will be produced from some veg and meat, plus a splash of wine. Leave any fresh herbs for the last half hour too, or all the flavour goes from them.
volks al said:
The amount of water you add seems high, and prob why it has not reduced. Slow cooking makes its own liquid from all the added ingredients being sweated out, so no need to add just water to bulk things out. YOu will be surprised with just what liquid will be produced from some veg and meat, plus a splash of wine. Leave any fresh herbs for the last half hour too, or all the flavour goes from them.
That's what I thought until I noticed he'd put stock cubes in as a separate ingredient. A pint and a half of stock doesn't seem unusual, does it? After all, something like this is surely going to taste better with more liquid concentrated down, rather than less liquid to start with?Kermit power said:
That's what I thought until I noticed he'd put stock cubes in as a separate ingredient. A pint and a half of stock doesn't seem unusual, does it? After all, something like this is surely going to taste better with more liquid concentrated down, rather than less liquid to start with?
But the 1.5 ltr of stock will pretty much always be there at the end, the lid on the slow cooker gives it nowhere to go. I am mainly going off the instructions that came with my SC, and I did actually read them, despite being a bloke! If I put 1.5 ltr of liquid in a SC for 10 hrs it will be pretty much all there at the end, it doesnt reduce, just gets absorbed into the other ingredients. Drown me in stock if I am wrong, just an amature and my theory.
volks al said:
But the 1.5 ltr of stock will pretty much always be there at the end, the lid on the slow cooker gives it nowhere to go. I am mainly going off the instructions that came with my SC, and I did actually read them, despite being a bloke! If I put 1.5 ltr of liquid in a SC for 10 hrs it will be pretty much all there at the end, it doesnt reduce, just gets absorbed into the other ingredients.
Drown me in stock if I am wrong, just an amature and my theory.
Ah, I suppose it might be different putting it in an actual slow cooker. I was thinking of just putting it on a very low temperature in a normal oven for a long time.Drown me in stock if I am wrong, just an amature and my theory.
Pferdestarke said:
Kermit power said:
Ooh, that looks stunning!
Would you mind posting up the quantities you used? After that, I'll just need to figure out how to replicate it without a slow cooker!
Sure.Would you mind posting up the quantities you used? After that, I'll just need to figure out how to replicate it without a slow cooker!
1.2kg beef shin, boneless
half a large onion
two medium carrots
3 bay leaves
3 garlic cloves, bruised, skin on
2 beef stock cubes
1.5 pints of boiling water
half a bottle of red wine
50 turns of black pepper
2 heaped tsp of maldon salt
1 tbsp of tomato puree
handful of fresh or dried thyme
No browning of meat necessary, although it would probably add a little flavour to the end result.
Once cooked for 6 plus hours at circa 90c in a slow cooker or oven, let it rest a little, then ladle the liquid in to a wide-mouthed pan and bubble until it is thick, powerful and like syrup. Add back to the shredded beef and veg.
Any type of casserole dish with a lid will do.
Makes 6 Serving Sherry Braised Beef Short Ribs
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Ingredients:
4 sausages, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
salt and fresh ground black pepper as needed
4 pounds beef short ribs
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp flour
1 quart beef broth
6 springs of thyme, picked
1 bay leaf
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a heavy Dutch oven, over medium heat, cook the sausages. Remove the cooked sausages with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan. Season the beef short ribs generously with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Turn the heat up to medium-high, and brown the short ribs well on all sides. Remove the short ribs, and add the onions. Reduce the heat to medium and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onions soften.
Add the garlic and flour, and sauté for 2 minutes more. Whisk in the sherry wine, turn the heat to high, and bring to a boil, scraping off any browned bits on the bottom of the Dutch oven. Add the beef broth, thyme, bay leaf, beef short ribs, sausages, and 1/2 tsp of salt.
When the liquid returns to a simmer, cover tightly, and place in the oven. Braise for 2 hours. Carefully remove the lid and test for doneness - the meat should be fork tender. If done, remove from the oven. Let rest covered for 15 minutes. Then, skim any excess fat from the top, taste for salt, and serve short ribs topped with some of the braising liquid and mash
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