Pressure Cooker Short Ribs

Sunset before dinner

Uncooked food placed in the Pressure Cooker

After Cooling in the sink, the cooked meat and potatoes

Sort Ribs ready for carving

Our First Pressure Cooker Meal!

We read an article in the New York Times about pressure cooker cooking. Both Cathy and I remember pressure cookers from our youth, but have never owned or used one. I do remember always being told to worry about the pressure cooker blowing up! I also remember the heavy cap that went over the steam vent. Interestingly, in India pressure cookers are used quite commonly.

Cathy did some research and decided that the best pressure cooker for us was: the Fagor 8 qt model, available on Amazon. For the first attempt at using our pressure cooker we made: Short Ribs in Gingered Plum Sauce. We purchased boneless Short Ribs from McCall's Meat and Fish. We would have used Ribs with the bone in, but they didn't have them.

It was easy and very fast. The Plums basically dissolved in the sauce creating a tangy delicious sauce. I really liked it. We discovered that there is an art to using the pressure cooker. Because the pressure cooker is ceiled tight, you have no idea of what is actually happening and how tender the food inside actually is. When the estimated cooking time has expired, you can cool the pressure cooker off under cool water, then open and inspect. Return to the heat if required for an additional few minutes to get to the desired texture.

A new tool has been added to our cooking experiences.

Short Ribs in Gingered Plum Sauce

Mark Bittman

New York Times

Ingredients

4 pounds meaty short ribs, excess fat removed

1 ½ cups chicken or beef broth

1 cup coarsely chopped leeks (green parts included) or onions

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, plus more if needed

2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce

1 ¼ cups tightly packed pitted prunes

4 to 6 large Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and left whole

1 to 1 ½ tablespoons grated fresh ginger

Salt and freshly ground pepper

¼ cup thinly sliced scallions, for garnish

Preparation

1.   Trim excess surface fat from the ribs. In a 6-quart or larger pressure cooker, combine broth, leeks and vinegar. Pour 2 tablespoons of soy sauce onto a large plate, and turn the meat in it to coat thoroughly.

2.   Place meat in the cooker with any unabsorbed soy sauce. Scatter prunes around the sides; distribute the potatoes on top. Lock lid in place. Over high heat, bring to high pressure. Reduce heat just enough to maintain high pressure. Cook for 30 minutes. Turn off heat and allow pressure to decrease naturally, about 15 minutes.

3.   Remove lid, tilting it away from you to allow the steam to escape. Remove potatoes, and set aside. The ribs should be fork tender. If not, simmer with lid ajar until done. Transfer meat to a platter.

4.   Strain the broth, and degrease in a fat separator or refrigerate overnight. Discard congealed fat. Return broth and solids to the cooker. To thicken the sauce and intensify the taste, boil over high heat, stirring often, until syrupy, 3 to 5 minutes.

5.   Add more vinegar, if needed, to balance the sweetness and intensify the flavors. Stir in ginger to taste. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Quarter the potatoes, and return them and the meat to the cooker to reheat and coat with sauce. Transfer to a platter or individual plates, and garnish with scallions. Serve any extra sauce on the side.