Best Braised Beef With Pears And Fresh Ginger Recipes

CHINESE BRAISED BEEF WITH GINGER

Steps:

• Heat a little of the oil in a large flameproof dish. Add the beef chunks, in batches, and fry until browned. When each batch is browned, transfer the beef to another dish. Very roughly chop the onions, ginger, garlic and coriander stalks. Put in a food processor and whizz to a paste.
• Wipe any oil out of the dish you browned the beef in. Add the paste with a good splash of water and gently fry, scraping up any beef bits, until the paste is fragrant and softened (add more water if the paste sticks). Stir in the five-spice, star anise and peppercorns, cook for 1 min, then add the sugar, soy sauces and tomato purée. Return the beef and any juices to the dish, then stir in enough stock to just about cover. Bring to a gentle simmer. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Cover the dish, put in the oven and cook for 21⁄2 hrs until the beef is really tender.
• Lift the beef out of the sauce into a dish, to keep warm. Boil the sauce until reduced by about half and thickened. Meanwhile, fry the ginger in the oil until golden and crispy. Return the beef to the sauce. serve the beef spooned over rice and scattered with the crispy ginger.

GRANDPA'S BRAISED BEEF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat with a thin layer of extra-virgin olive oil. Add the onions, and garlic to the hot oil and sweat them until very soft and very light caramel in color, 20 to 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and reserve.
• Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add a thin layer of oil to the pan. Pat the meat dry and season very liberally with salt and pepper. Brown the meat to a deep brown all over, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Peel the potatoes and very thinly slice them lengthwise into planks. Slice the tomatoes working over a bowl to catch their juices.
• Arrange 1/2 the onions over top of the meat, season with salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon thyme. Arrange 1/2 the potatoes over the onions and dress the potatoes with a liberal drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 tablespoon, salt, pepper, rosemary, and a handful freshly grated cheese. Top the potatoes with 1/2 the tomatoes and their juices, and season with salt and pepper. Scatter a few leaves of torn basil. Repeat the layers. Do not add basil to the top layer of tomatoes.
• Cover the pan and roast the meat in the oven until very tender, 4 hours. Cool and store for make-ahead meal.
• To reheat: Reheat, covered, in a preheated 325 degree F oven until warmed through, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Take off the lid of the pot, drizzle the top of the meat with oil, sprinkle with cheese, and broil to lightly crust the top. Cut down through the layers of the potatoes, tomatoes, and onions to portion the meat, serve in shallow bowls with crusty bread and pan juices.

BEER, GINGER, AND GARLIC BRAISED BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Warm the oil in a large, ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season the brisket with salt and pepper on both sides, and then add the meat to the pot. Brown on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Remove from the pot and set aside on a plate.
• Turn the heat down to medium and add the cinnamon stick, cloves, and cardamom pods; they should sizzle upon contact with the oil in the pot. Once they start releasing their aroma (less than 1 minute), add the onions and Ginger-Garlic paste. Sprinkle with a touch of salt to help them release some moisture. Saute until they soften and turn golden, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the sugar and beer to the pot, scraping up any bits that may have stuck to the bottom. Carefully, using a pair of tongs, return the brisket to the pot. Then add enough broth to bring the liquid halfway up the brisket, about 1 cup. Bring the liquid to a boil, shut off the heat, cover, and transfer to the oven where it will cook away for 3 hours until it's very tender. Remove the lid in the last half hour of cooking to reduce the liquid.
• When you're ready to serve, check the gravy. Stir in the cider vinegar. If it's too thick, don't be afraid to add a little water to thin it out. If it's too thin, reduce it on the stovetop. Taste for seasoning; depending on the brand of broth you used, you may want to add a little more salt.
• When slicing the brisket, remember to slice across the grain, that way you'll get the most tender pieces of meat. Spoon a little gravy over the top and enjoy a slice of brisket heaven!
• Throw the garlic, ginger, and canola oil in a mini-food processor and let it go until it forms a semi-smooth paste. There will still be tiny little pieces in there, but overall, it should resemble a paste.
• Save what you don't use in a small glass jar; it should last in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks. It's a delicious addition to marinades, pasta sauces, stir-fry sauces, slow-cooker recipes, gravy etc. We always had a jar of this stuff in our fridge growing up.

BRAISED PEARS WITH A SOY-GINGER GLAZE

Steps:

• In a 10-inch saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the soy sauce, ginger, sugar, and cayenne pepper. Stir until the sugar is melted and the ingredients are well combined and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the pears, cut side down, and simmer, basting frequently, until the pears are tender when pierced with a knife, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the pears to a microwave-safe serving dish.
• Bring the liquid in the pan back to a slow boil and add the vinegar. Simmer the sauce until it is thick and syrupy, about 3 minutes. Pour the sauce over the pears and serve immediately or set aside until ready to serve. If needed, reheat in the microwave just before serving.

POACHED PEARS WITH GINGER AND PORT

Steps:

• Peel gingerroot and slice thin. Cut slices into thin strips and in a saucepan simmer in 1 quart water 10 minutes. Drain gingerroot and discard water.
• In a saucepan just large enough to hold pears lying on their sides bring 3 cups water to boil with gingerroot, sugar, Port, and lemon juice, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Peel pears, leaving stems intact, and cut a thin slice from bottom of each if necessary to enable pears to stand upright when served. Arrange pears on their sides in poaching liquid, adding enough of remaining water as necessary to just cover. Simmer pears, turning them occasionally, until tender, 20 to 40 minutes depending on ripeness. Carefully transfer pears with a slotted spoon to a bowl and boil poaching liquid until reduced to about 3/4 cup and slightly syrupy. Pour sauce over pears. Pears may be made 1 day ahead and cooled in sauce before being chilled, covered. Serve pears warm or chilled.