Roy Yamaguchi is a Japanese-American, James Beard award winning celebrity chef. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in New York, Roy moved to California and worked in many European-styled restaurants. In 1988, he moved to his father’s birthplace of Hawaii and opened his first Roy’s restaurant. Roy is also a television personality, having hosted 6 seasons of the PBS series, Hawaii Cooks with Roy Yamaguchi. Roy’s refers to his style of cooking as Hawaiian Fusion. It is based on fresh, local ingredients-especially seafood-bold Asian spices and European influenced sauces.
Ribs have been a part of Asian and Hawaiian culinary traditions for centuries. In many Asian cultures, ribs have cultural significance and are prepared for special occasions and festivals. Similarly, in Hawaiian culture, the preparation of ribs is deeply rooted in traditional feasts and celebrations.
Asian and Hawaiian cuisines are known for their flavorful marinades, sauces, and seasonings. Ribs serve as a perfect canvas for absorbing these bold and savory flavors. Hawaiian cuisine often incorporates tropical ingredients such as pineapple, coconut, and various fruits and the ribs can be paired with these ingredients to create a harmonious blend of sweet and savory flavors. For example, “Huli Huli” ribs are marinated in a sauce made with pineapple juice, soy sauce, and ginger.
Roy Yamaguchi’s inspired Hawaiian Fusion restaurants have been defining Pacific Rim dining since 1988. I had the great pleasure of meeting Roy Yamaguchi in 2012, when I was consulting at his Sarasota, Florida Roy’s location. He cooked with my husband, a James Beard nominee himself. Afterwards, we sat for dinner and I found him to be a very kind and polite person. His talent is unquestionable but he also has a very genuine personality, too.
If you are a fan of Roy’s, try his Signature Blackened Ahi Tuna appetizer.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs of Beef Short Ribs-feel free to hand-select them at the butcher to get great ones
- 1 bottle red table wine
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 1/3 cup black vinegar
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar
- 2 TBL fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 TBL Chinese Five Spice
- 1/2 TBL lemon zest
- 1 large white onion, halved
- Canola oil for searing the beef
Instructions
Mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, black vinegar, and light brown sugar well to ensure sugar is dissolved. Pour marinade over short ribs, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours. Reserve marinating liquid.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large Dutch oven, add 2 TBL of canola oil to a very hot Dutch oven. Working in batches, sear the beef on all sides, adding more canola as necessary. Once ribs are seared, remove from oil, and set aside on a sheet tray. Continue process until all beef is seared.
Remove most of the oil from the Dutch oven, reserving only 2 TBL. Then add the ginger, garlic and lemon zest and stir. Deglaze the Dutch oven with 1 cup of the red wine and allow the alcohol to cook off. Add back in the liquid used to marinade the beef and the Chinese 5 Spice.
Bring liquid to a boil and return the short ribs to the Dutch oven. Add the remainder of the bottle of red wine and halved onion, submerging all in the liquid. The onion is only needed to season the beef during braising. It can be discarded at the end. Bring to a boil, again.
Place in oven at 350 degrees for 2 ½ hours. After 2 ½ hours, remove from oven. Using tongs, take each piece of short ribs from the braise, place on a clean tray, and set aside.
Remove all of the fat from the braising liquid, using a gravy separator, and allow the braise to reduce by half.
To view how to make Roy’s Restaurant Honey Mustard Mashed Potatoes, view the FULL VIDEO TUTORIAL below
To serve: Plate ribs with the Honey Mustard Mashed Potatoes and spoon the reduced braising liquid over the top. Serve with Roy’s Blackened Ahi Tuna and enjoy!
FULL VIDEO TUTORIAL
