WHY STEW WITH IRISH BEEF?
Irish beef stew is the secret ingredient of a delicious stew! Our cattle get plenty of exercise because they are outside for an average of 220 days a year. Then they eat fresh juicy grass. But even in the winter months they eat mainly grass, in the form of hay and silage. So their diet consists of 90% grass and you can taste it! Lots of exercise and lots of grass gives Irish beef a nice fat marbling and a full intense flavour. Perfect for stewing! Enjoy your meal!
Method
- To prepare the marinade, put the olive oil, thyme, grated orange zest and garlic in a large sealable bag and add the ribs. Then rub this marinade mixture into the ribs. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, overnight is even better. Before cooking, let the meat come to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 150°C. Heat a frying pan over a high heat. Wipe the marinade off the ribs and sprinkle with salt and pepper, reserving the marinade. Fry the ribs for 6-8 minutes on each side in portions in the frying pan until golden brown. Heat the oil in a large thick-bottomed frying pan (large enough to fit the ribs in a single layer). Add the onions, carrots and celery stalks with the preserved marinade and fry for 5 minutes over a high heat.
- Pour in the wine and bring to the boil, simmer for a few minutes, scraping the bottom of the casserole with a wooden spoon to loosen the caking. Pour in the stock, place the ribs in a single layer and put the lid on the pan. Place in the oven for 2-3 hours until the ribs are fully cooked but still hold their shape.
- When the ribs are ready, place them on a tray with tongs and cover with aluminium foil. Strain the cooking liquid without the vegetables into a pan and stir in the syrup. Let this simmer over a low heat until the sauce is reduced by half, removing any fat and foam that rises to the top with a spatula. Pour it over the ribs.
- To prepare the gremolata, mix the garlic, parsley and lemon zest in a small bowl, set aside until needed. Spoon the polenta into large round bowls and place the ribs on top, then spoon some of the cooking liquid over it and drizzle with the gremolata, then serve.
