Epis Braised Beef Short Ribs
Haitian-American chef Gregory Gourdet developed this dish for Kann Winter Village, the pop-up restaurant he ran in Portland, Ore., in 2021. The temporary restaurant served as a preview of Kann, the Haitian restaurant he opened in August 2022, which landed on The New York Times’ list of America’s Best Restaurants. Beef is not nearly as prevalent in Haitian cuisine as chicken, pork and seafood, said Mr. Gourdet, whose family is Haitian, but the flavors in the dish — including the Haitian epis seasoning — are “very Haitian. It tastes like my family’s food.”
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 2 ½pounds English-cut bone-in beef short ribs (4 large pieces)
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 1 ½cups Haitian Epis (Pepper, Herb and Garlic Marinade)
- 2tablespoons avocado oil
- 1medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1large carrot, sliced
- 8large garlic cloves, smashed
- ½cup tomato paste
- 1 ½cups diced canned tomatoes with their juices
- 3scallions, trimmed and chopped
- 1small habanero, stemmed then chopped (seeds included)
- 1 ½cups chicken or beef stock
- 7fresh thyme sprigs, plus more picked leaves for garnish (optional)
- 2cups fresh spinach leaves
- Cooked jasmine rice, for serving
Instructions
Step 1
Rub short ribs all over with 1 tablespoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper. Place ribs in a large bowl and add the epis and toss to coat. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight.Step 2
Heat the oven to 250 degrees. Scrape the marinade off the beef, reserving it in the bowl. Pat the beef dry and transfer to a plate.Step 3
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high until it shimmers. Add the beef and brown the meat, turning it as needed, until it acquires a deep mahogany crust, about 10 minutes, reducing the heat if needed to avoid burning. Transfer the seared beef to a plate.Step 4
Add the onion, carrot and garlic to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until they start to color and soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes longer, until the paste turns a shade darker.Step 5
Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, scallions and habanero, along with the reserved beef marinade and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, to concentrate the flavors. The mixture will be thick. Reduce the heat, if necessary, to avoid splattering.Step 6
Add the stock and thyme sprigs, followed by the seared beef and its accumulated juices. Bring to a simmer, stir to combine, then cover the pot and place it in the oven.Step 7
Cook for 3 hours, until the meat pulls easily off the bone.Step 8
Transfer the pot to the stovetop. Pick out the thyme sprigs, then skim and discard fat from the surface — there will be quite a bit. (If time permits, you could also cool to room temperature, refrigerate overnight, then scoop off the hardened fat at the top with ease. Reheat gently before serving.)Step 9
To serve, stir in the spinach, 1 cup at a time, until it just wilts. Serve in a shallow bowl, with jasmine rice on the side, and garnish with thyme leaves, if desired.