Keto-Friendly Panang Curry Short Ribs

By Guest Chef, Phillip Schaaf

Short ribs are the perfect protein for any comfort dish. They’re high in fat and protein and loaded with flavor. The fatty nature of the short rib lends itself to so many cooking techniques, but slow and low is the most effective method to coax out the best qualities of the cut. And when you add a little curry, you’ve got a dish that’s guaranteed to please.

Those of you following the Keto diet will love the low-carb quality of this recipe. While there are some ingredients that strict Keto eaters might want to avoid, there are easy substitutions. Use a shallot instead of an onion. Leave out the Gochujang and use homemade stock instead of water. Use walnuts instead of peanuts. Serve the curry over riced cauliflower, and voilà! Your low-carb dinner is done!

1-2 lb Grass Roots bone-in pasture raised short ribs
1 tbsp sea salt, or kosher salt
fresh cracked black pepper to taste
1/2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tbsp lard + 1 tbsp lard
1/2 onion or 2 shallots, peeled and sectioned
2 green chilies
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp coconut aminos, or soy sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 cups homemade beef, pork or chicken stock, or water
3 cremini or shiitake mushrooms, halved
1 tbsp gochujang, a fermented chili and soybean paste
3 kaffir lime leaves
1 tbsp Szechuan peppercorn

 To finish the sauce:

1 can coconut milk
1 tbsp of freshly grated ginger
juice of 1 lime
3 tbsp roasted peanuts, chopped (salted or unsalted)
1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1. Pull the membrane—the thin layer of connective tissue closest to the bone—from the bottom of the short ribs.

2. Season the short ribs heavily with salt and pepper on all sides a couple of hours before cooking.

3. In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, heat the coconut oil and lard on medium heat. These fats have a lower smoke point than more refined oils, so keeping the heat at medium will keep the fat from burning.

4. Sear the seasoned short ribs on all sides until a deep brown caramel color is reached. This should take about 2-3 minutes per side.

5. Remove the ribs from the pan and discard the fat.

6. Add another tablespoon of lard and sear the onion, garlic and green chilies until they are caramelized. Set aside with the ribs and then discard the excess fat in the pan.

7. Deglaze the pan with the mirin and then add the soy, fish sauce, stock (or water), dried chilies, mushrooms, kaffir leaves, peppercorn, and Gochujang. Add the short ribs, onions and chilies back to the pan and bring to a low boil.

8. Place in a 300 degree oven for about two and a half to three hours, until the meat begins to pull away from the bone.

9. Let the meat cool in the braising liquid and store in the refrigerator overnight.

10. The next day, pull the meat from the bone and separate the connective tissue.

11. Blend the liquid and aromatics along with the coconut milk, ginger, and lime juice. Bring to a simmer and reduce until thickened. Add the pulled meat and heat thoroughly.

If you are eating Keto, enjoy in a lettuce wrap or over a bed of cauliflower rice or perhaps stuffed in a roasted sweet potato. Otherwise, enjoy with some fragrant basmati rice.

Garnish with crushed roasted peanuts and fresh chopped cilantro.