From our Holiday Table to yours

It’s the time of year for friends and family to gather round the holiday table. Whether your table is home style or high style, set for two or twenty, it’s all about coming together. This year at Noble, we’re celebrating our love of good food and healthy eating with one of our favourite bison cuts—the short rib. We love short ribs. They’re tender and flavourful, easy to cook, and leave your home smelling as delicious as they taste.

In our kitchen, we have several recipes we love to rotate through; one braised with hints of espresso and balsamic, another with ancho chili and coffee. This bison short rib recipe is lovingly braised for 3 hours with rich stout beer and dark cherries, and will have you shelving the Christmas turkey for good.

Holidays are a busy time in most households, and one of the best things about short ribs is how great they are as leftovers. You can heat them up with a little liquid and when warmed through, discard the bones and shred with forks. Get out your favourite crusty bread, lay on the shredded short ribs, spoon on some of the juice, top it with some cheese and bread – voila! – yummy short rib sandwiches.

From our holiday table to yours, we’d like to thank you for your ongoing support in our passion for bringing you the best Canadian bison, and wish you and yours a warm and wonderful season of sharing.

BEER-BRAISED BISON SHORT RIBS

Portion size: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon (14g) broken star anise (approx)
• 2 teaspoons (10g) kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp (7.5g) ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon (5g) pepper
• 8 lbs (3.5kg) bone-in bison short ribs cut in 2-inch (5 cm) lengths
• 2 tablespoons (28g) canola oil
• 2 cups (500ml) sodium-reduced beef broth (approx)
• 2 cups (500ml) dark beer or ale
• 1 cup (250ml) dried sour cherries
• 2 shallots thinly sliced
• 2 whole star anise
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 1 tablespoon (14g) cornstarch

METHOD

1. In spice grinder or in mortar with pestle, grind broken star anise until powdery. Combine anise powder, salt, ground cinnamon and pepper. Sprinkle all over ribs.
2. In large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat; in 2 batches, brown ribs on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to plate. Drain fat from pan. 
3. Add broth and stout to pan, scraping up browned bits; add ribs, cherries, shallots, whole star anises and cinnamon stick. Bring to boil. Cover and braise in 325°F (160°C) oven until meat is tender, about 3 hours. 
4. With slotted spoon, transfer ribs and cherries to platter; keep warm. Skim fat from pan. Bring sauce to boil over medium heat. 
5. Meanwhile, whisk cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water. Whisk into sauce. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Return ribs and cherries to pan; stir to coat.

Adapted from a recipe by Chef Shelley Robinson, owner of Baker Creek Bistro in Lake Louise Credits: Canadian Living Magazine: November 2011