Stout-glazed short ribs

Testing the texture differences between 48 and 72 cooking hours.

Active: 30 minutes; Sous vide: 48 to 72 hours; Reheat: 30 minutes

Beef short ribs, cut into four equal parts, trimmed of sinew & excess fat	2 pounds
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground
Butter, unsalted	2 tablespoon
Garlic, lightly crushed	3 cloves
Guinness or other dry stout	1 cup
Bay leaf	1
Beef broth, low-sodium	1 ½ cups
Hoisin sauce	2 tablespoons
Sugar, dark brown	1 tablespoon
Butter, canna-infused	1 tablespoon

1. Preheat your sous vide water bath to 134.6°F. 
2. Place the ribs in a gallon-size freezer-safe ziplock bag in a single layer, and seal using the water displacement method. 
3. When the water reaches the target temperature, lower the bagged ribs into the water bath (ensuring the bag is fully submerged), and cook for 48 to 72 hours. (Chef's note: We decided on 48 over 72 hours as our preferred cooking time. The texture is soft at 48 hours but not entirely lost like starts to happen at 72 hours. I liked 72 to baby food.)
4. Remove the bag from the water bath, and let the ribs rest for 10 minutes. 
5. Transfer the ribs to a cutting board, reserving any cooking liquid in the bag for the glaze. 
6. Pat the meat throughly dry with paper towels, slice into ½-inch patties, and season with salt and pepper. 
7. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. 
8. When the pan is hot, add the 2-tablespoons butter, which will sizzle and brown immediately. 
9. Carefully place the rib patties in the pan, and sear until golden brown, about 1 minute. 
10. Using tongs, flip the patties and brown for about 1 minute more, then transfer to a platter. 
11. Drain off and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan, and return the pan to medium heat. 
12. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. 
13. Pour in the stout, which will immediately foam and bubble vigorously), and the bay leaf, and scrape the bottom to the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge any browned bits. 
14. Stir in the reserved cooking liquid, stock, hoisin sauce, and sugar, and then let the mixture come to a lively boil. 
15. Reduce the liquid until it has a thick, syrupy consistency and is about one-fourth its original volume, about 15 minutes. (The viscosity is somewhere between maple syrup and molasses.) 
16. Reduce the heat to low, and stir in 1-tablespoon canna-infused butter until it is completely incorporated. The sauce should be glossy and have a richly sweet, salty taste. 
17. Remove the bay leaf and garlic cloves. 
18. Return the short rib patties to the pan, and glaze them by spooning the sauce over them until they are completely coated. 

Serve with gougères and pickled red onions.
Recipe totally tainted from Sous Vide at Home by Lisa Q. Fetterman.

Fried mushrooms

Mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned	10 ounces
Flour	1 cup
Cornstarch	½ cup
Baking powder	¾ teaspoon
Salt	¼ teaspoon
Beer, tasty IPA or other favorite	1 cup
Breadcrumbs, Panko if you can find it	2 cups

1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt; stir in the beer to make a batter. 
2. Using a toothpick, dip each mushroom into the batter, letting the excess drip off, then roll in Panko. 
3. Deep fry in oil until golden brown, and drain on paper towels. 
4. Serve with marinara sauce or favorite dressing.

Gingerbread

Flour, all-purpose	6.5 ounces
Baking powder	1 teaspoon
Ginger, ground	1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons
Cinnamon, ground	¾ teaspoon
Cloves, ground	¼ teaspoon
Nutmeg, freshly ground	¼ teaspoon
Cardamom, ground	1/8 teaspoon
Salt, kosher	¼ teaspoon
Beer, stout such as Guinness	½ cup + 2 tablespoons
Molasses	¾ cup
Baking soda	½ teaspoon
Eggs, room temperature	2 large
Sugar, granulated	5.5 ounces
Sugar, light brown	4 ounces
Oil, vegetable	½ cup
Cream cheese, room temperature	1 pound
Butter, unsalted, room temperature	5.5 ounces
Sugar, powdered, sifted	5.5 ounces

1. Liberally butter two 7-by-2-inch cake pans and dust with flour; tap out the excess flour. 
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt; set aside. 
4. In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the stout and molasses; bring to a boil. 
5. Whisk in the baking soda. Be careful to whisk constantly, as the mixture will foam up when you add the soda. 
6. Immediately remove from heat, and let the mixture cool to room temperature. 
7. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the eggs with the sugars, and whisk on medium speed until well combined and lightened in color, 3 to 4 minutes. 
8. Slowly drizzle in the oil and beat to combine. 
9. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the stout mixture. 
10. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then return to low speed and slowly add the dry ingredients, beating just until combined. 
11. Remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. 
12. Fold by hand a few more times with the spatula. 
13. Strain the batter through a medium-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. 
14. Divide the batter between the prepared pans. 
15. Bake until nicely risen and lightly browned at the edges, about 45 to 50 minutes. 
16. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pans for 20 minutes. 
17. Run an offset spatula around the edges of the pans, then invert the cakes onto the racks and let cool for about 20 minutes longer. 
18. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate to ensure that the interiors are completely cooled before decorating, at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. 
19. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar; beat until completely smooth and glossy. 
20. Add the cream cheese and mix thoroughly. 
21. Fit a pastry bag with a medium star tip, fill the bag with frosting. 
22. Pull up the cuff and twist it to seal and tighten the frosting down into the cone. 
23. Purge the bag of air bubbles by squeezing the bag until there is a burst of air and frosting sputters out of the bag. 
24. Keep the bag tightly twisted so that the frosting doesn’t come back up on your hands. 
25. Starting in the center of each cake, pipe the frosting in a tight spiral over the surface. 
26. Use the offset spatula to slightly smooth the surface of the frosting. 

Recipe from Miette by Meg Ray.