A seder will need a main dish which fulfills several requirements. It must be able to be kept warm for an indefinite period without deterioration.
It should be easy to serve, preferably not needing to be carved at the last minute. Of course, it would be wonderful if it could be made a day ahead of time, perhaps allowing you to take a few deep breaths before family and friends arrive.
Below is a Sephardic dish which will accommodate all of these niceties.
It is braised, and will stay tender, no matter how long you hold it in the warming oven.
It is already in individual sized portions.
It can be made the day before, and will improve by being done that way.
Feel free to double the size of this recipe, if your seder is a large one.
Ingredients
5 pounds Beef Short Ribs
1 tablespoon ground Cloves
1 teaspoon ground Allspice
1 teaspoon ground Black Pepper
2 tablespoons Oil
1 small (6 ounce) container frozen Orange Juice concentrate
1 1/2 cups Red Wine
5 medium-sized Onions, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons grated Orange Peel
2 cups Beef Broth
4 Bay Leaves
Method
Mix the Cloves, Allspice, and Black Pepper. Rub the combined spices into all the surfaces of the Short Ribs.
Put the Oil into a large Dutch Oven, and heat over a medium flame.
Place the Short Ribs in the pan and brown thoroughly on all sides. This step may take as long as 30 minutes, but it is important that they be well browned.
Remove the Short Ribs and set them aside.
Put the Onions in the pan and cook until they are well-browned.
Place the Short Ribs back in the pan, on top of the Onions.
Sprinkle the Orange Peel evenly over the meat.
Mix the Orange Juice Concentrate, Water, and Beef Broth, then pour the combined liquids over the meat.
Tuck in the bay leaves.. Bring the pan to a simmer on top of the stove, then cover tightly, and place in the oven at 325 degrees for 2 1/2 hours.
Serve.
A nice touch is to do this the day before and chill the pan in the refrigerator. All the fat in the dish will rise to the top in a cake, which you can then lift off and discard before reheating.