Islandy BBQ Beef Shortribs

This is a favorite barbeque recipe in Hawaii and the Micronesian islands. The secret is in the marinade. You may prefer boneless beef short ribs, but I like them with the bones because I think the meat is more flavorful. I ask the butcher to make them “thin cut.” These are thick cut.

Marinade Ingredients:

• 2-3 lbs. beef short-ribs
• ½ cup soy sauce (I use Chinese made 'Pearl River Bridge' brand; I don't like Kikkoman's because it is Japanese and tastes quite different than Chinese brands)
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• ⅛ cup lemon or lime juice
• 1 Tbsp. Worchester sauce
• ⅛ cup brown or regular sugar
• 1 tsp. Sesame oil
• ½ cup water
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• 1 Tbsp. (3-4 cloves) garlic, diced
• 3 hot peppers of your choice, diced (use more, none or less for desired hotness)

Preparation:

Combine all the ingredients into a gallon-sized Ziploc bag or large bowl. Place meat strips into the marinade. If in a baggie, seal it and shake the bag a bit. Marinade for 6-8 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. They're delicious! You can also marinade chicken with the same recipe. The longer the meat marinates, the stronger the flavor will be.

Variations: I just use the basic simple recipe above. However, variations include adding a teaspoon of mustard powder, some diced green onions. The sugar helps the meat to blacken when placed over the barbeque fire. I love that charbroiled flavor. You may want to experiment with the different ingredients to suit your preferences.

Barbecue Techniques: I've learned a few barbeque techniques over the years that most people don't know. A lot of people just dump their charcoal into the barbeque, like I used to do; but a better method is to make a pyramid so that the heat can center within the pyramid. This way you won't have to re-ignite your charcoal a dozen times to make it go.

Also, you don't need to cover the entire grill. In fact, it's best not to so you can move food to the cooler sides when it is almost done to prevent burning. Also, a lot of people burn their food because the heat is too high. A lower heat and a longer time to cook makes the meat more juicy. Never poke your meat with a fork or knife because it'll let all the juices out. Cooking low and slow makes meat more juicy. This is true primarily for chicken and thicker cuts of meat.

For thin-cut short-ribs it really doesn't matter. You want to get them over the fire to get that charbroiled flavor, yet you don't want them to burn. There's no exact way to barbeque. Whatever works best for you is fine. The important thing is to apply fire directly to the meat for a couple minutes to get that awesome charbroiled flavor. The trick is not to burn and dry out your meat. Perhaps keep a little spray bottle handy with water, to control the fire.

Believe it or not, an electric fan is great for getting a stubborn fire going. Fire needs air and a fan provides forced air. Short-ribs are one of my favorite meals. I always buy the bone-in cuts of meat for that wonderful extra coveted flavor. Enjoy!