We are in the grip of “the beast from the east” here in Somerset – a chill Siberian snow storm that has flattened the first flowers of spring and plunged us into temperatures of minus ten degrees. So, slow cooked beef seems like just the thing and I nipped to the wonderful butcher at Sheppy’s in Taunton to get us some prime beef ribs cut to order.

Leave yourself all day to get these on the table as you cook them long, low and slow in the oven for a good 4/6 hours. The meat will be meltingly tender and falling off the bone.

A good way of getting high protein, high iron, high taste into the family – a real treat. I served them on a fat bed of fresh baby spinach leaves and avocado with boiled new potatoes (drizzled with a grassy olive oil) & fresh coleslaw on the side.  Roll your eyes as they all eat like cavemen.

Slow Cooked Bad Boy Beef Ribs – serves 6

2 x jars of shop bought red current or cranberry jelly, approx 700g

2 x cups red wine vinegar

4 x fat cloves garlic, crushed

2 x tbsp vegetable or Carotino oil

2 x tbsp honey

1 x tbsp chilli flakes

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

2/3 kg of short beef or pork ribs  (as many as you think they’ll eat)

Mix all the ingredients bar the ribs into a heavy bottomed roasting dish (preferably cast iron) and simmer over a gentle heat until combined. take off the heat, pop the ribs in and spoon over well with the berry mixture. Marinade for an hour or two, lightly covered in foil.

Heat the oven to 150dg (Gas Mark 2). Remove the ribs onto a plate and add a metal rack into the roasting dish. Sit the ribs on this, bone side up and pop them into the oven, covered in foil. Baste the ribs every hour or so with the rich red marinade. I’d try for the whole 6 hours if you can. An hour from touch down, take the foil off so they take on a lovely dark, sticky exterior.

Plate onto a wide platter with a good thick salad layer of spinach leaves and/or rocket.