Recipe: Gabrielle Hamilton's Beef Short Ribs Braised in Pho Broth with Condiments

Yield: 4 orders

Pho-Style Oxtail Broth
8 beef short ribs, cut at 4 inches kosher salt
white pepper
braising liquid from ribs
Thai basil
mung bean sprouts mint branches limes

For the beef short ribs:

Season ribs with salt and white pepper.

Brown on all sides, evenly and well, in rondeau on stovetop. Remove ribs, pour off fat.

Deglaze rondeau with defatted pho broth, return ribs to rondeau in neat and organized fashion, and add pho broth just to barely submerge. Crocodiles in a swamp.

Cover with parchment round, foil, and lid.

Braise in 350° oven for 2–3 hours. Check at 2 hours.

We want luscious and tender—return to oven or remove from oven, accordingly. When you can, lift ribs out of broth and let cool on a baker’s drying rack.

Discard any bones that have fallen off completely, but leave the heavy flap of connective tissue attached to the short rib.

Strain the braising liquid.

Pack ribs away overnight in the walk-in and tidy them up the following day when they are rigid from cold so they won’t shred and fall apart when you cut away the connective tissue and remove any bones that have remained intact.

Yield meaty, full, tidy squares of short rib that you can handle elegantly later in the pickup.

Contribute shreds and lean, inferior ribs to family meal.

To pick up:

Reheat ribs simply and gently in their braising liquid on stovetop, in covered pot.

Reduce broth just enough to give it curves—we want it to remain brothy and full- bodied—not sticky.

Serve in large wide bowl.

Add cold, fresh Thai basil branch; crisp, clean, watery mung bean sprouts; mint branch; and freshly cut lime cheek at the pass.