Costela Recipe
Rich marbling for exceptional flavor.
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Ingredients
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Beef and seasonings
Marinade / braising liquid
Finishing
Method
Beef and seasonings
- 1
Trim and pat dry
Trim any excessively long frayed pieces of fat from the ribs but keep most of the marbling. Pat the ribs dry with paper towels.
- 2
Season
Combine kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika and cumin in a small bowl. Rub the seasoning mix evenly over all sides of the ribs. Let rest at room temperature 30–45 minutes (or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours).
Marinade / braising liquid
- 3
Preheat and brown
Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Heat the olive oil in a large heavy Dutch oven or braiser over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the ribs in batches, bone-side down first, 3–4 minutes per side, until deeply browned. Transfer seared ribs to a plate.
- 4
Vegetables and deglaze
Add the onion (quartered), carrot (coarsely chopped), celery (chopped) and smashed garlic to the pot. Cook, stirring, until vegetables begin to soften and pick up browned bits, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Pour in the red wine to deglaze, scraping up fond from the bottom; simmer 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly.
- 5
Add braising liquids
Return the ribs to the pot, arranging them snugly with bones down so meat is partially submerged but not completely covered. Add beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves and thyme. Liquid should come up about halfway on the ribs; add a little extra stock or water if needed.
- 6
Braise
Bring liquid to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, then cover and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise until the meat is very tender and pulls away from the bone easily, about 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Check at 2 hours and rotate if needed; top up liquid if it drops below the meat.
Finishing
- 7
Remove and reduce sauce
Carefully transfer the ribs to a baking sheet or platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Skim any excess fat from the surface of the braising liquid, then transfer the liquid and vegetables to a saucepan through a sieve, pressing to extract flavor. Bring the strained liquid to a simmer and reduce until saucy, about 10–15 minutes. Stir in brown sugar and apple cider vinegar, taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- 8
Optional glaze and broil
If you want a sticky finish, brush a thin layer of the reduced sauce on the ribs and place under a high oven broiler for 2–4 minutes until caramelized, watching closely to avoid burning.
- 9