‘These ribs are slow cooked for 8-ish hours until the meat comes away from their bones. Brushed near the end of slow cooking with OFPA 2026 Gold Medal winner, Robbies Heritage Collection Cherry Bourbon Rib Sauce elevates the flavour and gives the meat a wonderful dark, rich caramelisation. Flavour aside, the next best thing about this sauce, is its consistency. Its spoon-dropping consistency (not all thick and gloopy), gives a moreish sauce-like coating on the meat.’ Kathy Paterson, Outstanding Recipe Editor.

Serves 4

About 1.5kg beef short ribs, at room temperature
olive oil for rubbing
flaky sea salt
4 tablespoons Robbies Cherry Bourbon Rib Sauce

Heat the oven to 100°C.

Method

Put the beef short ribs in a meat dish, one that the ribs fit in snugly as you want the ribs to cook in the rendering fat and juices. Rub with a little oil and lightly season with salt. Cover with baking paper then two layers of compostable foil. Make sure the meat dish is tightly covered.

Put in the oven and slow cook for 7 hours. Remove from the oven and check the ribs, the meat should be very tender. Carefully transfer the ribs to a board. Skim off the fat (once cool, keep this fat in the fridge for your next roasted potatoes). Return the ribs to the meat dish with all the juices and brush or spoon over the Robbies Cherry Bourbon Rib Sauce.

Return to the oven and cook for about 40-45 minutes until the sauce caramelises.

For more ‘char’ on your ribs, pop under a hot grill, watching so the sauce doesn’t burn.

Serve sliced between each bone, with or without the bone attached.

Outstanding Tips

Favourite sides are - buttery mashed potato and your favourite coleslaw.
I got out my mandolin and finely sliced green cabbage and a firm but ripe fresh Packham pear. Add a few mint leaves, torn if large, and dress lightly with extra virgin olive oil, a good quality vinegar and a little salt.

More to Explore from Robbies by Mrs Pickles

When Robbies Artisan Collection Noir Gärlik, Black Garlic Sauce was named Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards Free From Champion 2022 and received a gold medal, Gore’s Josie Robinson was rewarded for all the trial and error, tears and driving over the past few years.

These ‘outstanding ‘ chicken meatballs are flavour-enhanced with a good splash or two of Robbies Champion Noir Gärlik. The meatballs can be made with any meat - pork, beef and venison. Change up the herbs by adding coriander, chives, basil or sweet marjoram along with the parsley.