Serves 4 in 4 hrs
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless beef short ribs
Freshly ground black pepper
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
½ + ½ cup mirin or sweet sherry, or more as needed
1/4 cup ponzu sauce
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons water, plus more
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tbsp cornstarch
Cooked white rice, for serving
2 green onions, thinly sliced, including green parts
1 Asian pear or other just-ripe pear, cored and cut into matchsticks
(Chas tweaks of bold and 14 point)
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
Heat oil in an oven-safe Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering.
Season meat generously with pepper, then sear until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes per side.
Reduce heat to medium.
Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until browned, about 2 minutes.
Add mirin and scrape up any browned bits from bottom of Dutch oven.
Add ponzu sauce, soy sauce, apple juice, sesame oil, 1/2 cup water, brown sugar, and vinegar and stir to combine.
Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to oven.
Braise, turning beef once and adding the 2nd ½ cup mirin + water if necessary to keep it at least halfway submerged throughout cooking, until beef is fork-tender, about 3 1/2 hours.
Transfer beef to a platter and skim fat from cooking juices in Dutch oven.
Taste cooking juices: If too concentrated, dilute to taste with water and/or mirin.
Combine cornstarch with remaining 2 tablespoons water, whisking thoroughly to remove any lumps.
Whisk cornstarch slurry into cooking juices, bring to a boil over high heat, and cook until gravy is thickened, about 2 minutes.
Serve short ribs over rice, drizzled with gravy and garnished with green onion and pear.
The meat will be dark outside, almost black in fact.
Don't worry: This doesn't mean it's burned.
It's due to the numerous dark components in the dish, such as soy and ponzu sauces, dark brown sugar and black vinegar.