By: Nicholas Leiss
broccoli rabe, Cheese, Ewe's Bleu, Peppercorns, Short Ribs

Slowly Roasted Peppercorn Crusted Short Rib with Olive Oil Marinated Blue Cheese & Broccoli Rabe

Short ribs are always a good idea in the cooler months of the year. This recipe plays off the first steak dish I learned to make, which is steak au poivre (peppercorn crusted steak). I love how the funkiness of Old Chatham Sheep Herding Company Ewe’s Blue pairs with beef, so this dish was a no brainer. The charred broccoli rabe really brings everything together.

Day 1: Marinate the Blue Cheese & Brine the Short Ribs

Olive Oil Marinated Blue Cheese

Prep Time: 5 minutes

The trick to this recipe is in the quality of the ingredients. Look to purchase a funky, sharp blue cheese instead of a soft and mellow blue cheese. The idea is allowing the mildness of olive oil to immerse in the pungency of blue cheese. Meanwhile, the blue cheese holds up nicely against the strong flavor of the peppercorn crusted short rib. So go funky or go home with this blue cheese. Ewe’s Blue from Old Chatham Sheep Herding is that blue cheese. Also, choose an olive oil you would like to drizzle on top of the dish as a finishing touch to add a level of refinement.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 lb. Ewe’s Blue from Old Chatham Sheep Herding Company, big chunky crumbles
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon Calabrian chili, crushed
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup high-quality extra virgin olive oil

Step by Step

  1. Place the cheese in an airtight jar with enough room to surround it with olive oil
  2. Add the thyme leaves, Calabrian chili, red wine vinegar and olive oil
  3. Close the jar and shake until blended
  4. Refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least 2 days
  5. Can be stored in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks

Brined Short Ribs

Prep Time: 10 to 15 minutes | Brine Time: 24 hours

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs. bone-in short ribs, ask your butcher to cut into 4 individual ribs
  • 3/4 cup whole black peppercorns
  • Another 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 1⁄4 cup sugar
  • 3 bay leaves, fresh or dried
  • 1 lemon, thinly sliced
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1/2 gallon water
  • 1/2 gallon ice

Step by Step

  1. Toast the peppercorns in a large, heavy stock pot that is big enough to hold a gallon of water
  2. Once toasted, add the water, sugar, salt, bay leaves, thyme and lemon
  3. Bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar and salt
  4. Immediately turn off the heat once the liquid starts boiling
  5. Add the ice to the pot and allow the liquid to cool
  6. Once fully cooled, transfer the brine to a large container and add the short ribs
  7. Place the brined short ribs in the refrigerator for 24 hours

Day 2: Prepare the Short Rib Crust

Peppercorn Crust

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time:40 to 45 minutes | Refrigeration Time:12 hours or overnight

Cooking peppercorns in oil does two things. It tempers their heat, and transforms them into a paste.

Farm2ChefsTable Tip: Traditionally, confit refers to cooking meat only in its fat, such as cooking duck legs in duck fat or pork shoulder in pork lard. Today, the word confit has stretched to include cooking food in olive oil. There are no rules in cooking — just good ideas!

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup whole black peppercorns
  • 1-1/2 cup olive oil
  • 4 brined short ribs (recipe above), patted dry

Step by Step

  1. Toast the peppercorns in a dry 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes
  2. Add the olive oil
  3. Simmer on medium-low heat until the peppercorns are tender, 40 to 45 minutes
  4. Once tender, turn off the burner and allow to cool completely
  5. Strain the peppercorns, reserving the oil for another use if you like!
  6. Using a mortar and pestle to grind the peppercorns into a wet, gravel-like consistency
  7. Coat the ribs in the peppercorn mixture and place on a baking sheet fitted with a rack
  8. Chill uncovered for 12 hours or overnight so the peppercorn mixture forms a crunchy crust on the ribs

Farm2ChefsTable Tip: This oil is great for vinaigrette or as a base for your next marinated blue cheese. Be sure to keep it

Day 3: Roast the Short Ribs, Char the Broccoli Rabe & Serve

Slowly Roasted Short Ribs

Tempering Time: 1 hour | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 3 to 4 hours | Oven Temperature: 325F and 400F degrees

Ingredients

  • 4 brined and crusted short ribs (recipe above)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

Step by Step

  1. Allow ribs to come to room temperature for 1 hour
  2. Preheat oven to 325F degrees
  3. Transfer the ribs to a roasting pan
  4. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and roast for 3 hours
  5. Remove from oven and let the ribs rest for 1 hour
  6. Discard the bones
  7. Increase oven heat to 400F degrees
  8. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat
  9. Working in batches, heat the ribs, turning as needed until the peppercorn crust browns, about 8 to 10 minutes
  10. Transfer ribs to a baking sheet fitted with a rack
  11. Place in the oven until the crust hardens, about 15 minutes
  12. Once cooked, remove from the oven and let the ribs rest for 10 minutes
  13. Cut the ribs crosswise into 2″ pieces and set aside

Charred Broccoli Rabe

Prep Time: 5 to 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 to 15 minutes | Oven Temperature: 450F to 500F degrees

Broccoli rabe picks up a wonderful, smoky caramelized note when quickly charred in a hot oven.

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch of broccoli rabe, tough woody stems removed
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Flaky sea salt, to taste

Step by Step

  1. Preheat your oven to 450F to 500F degrees, whichever is the hottest setting of your oven
  2. Clean the broccoli rabe and pat dry completely
  3. Toss with olive oil, but don’t salt it yet * Farm2ChefsTable Tip
  4. Next, roast in the oven until the edges of the broccoli begin to char and the stem is slightly tender with a bit of a crunch
  5. Remove from oven and sprinkle flaky sea salt over top
  6. Drain the broccoli rabe on a plate lined in paper towel and set aside

Farm2ChefsTable Tip: Holding off on the salt at this point helps the broccoli rabe char better.

Assembly

The final day is here! The blue cheese has been marinating for 3 days. You’ve seared the short ribs. The last minute broccoli rabe is ready to go. Let’s eat!

Step by Step

  1. Place each short rib on a plate
  2. Rustically place the charred broccoli rabe over the short ribs
  3. Spoon the olive oil marinated blue cheese over top
  4. Enjoy with family and friends.