Sweet, Spicy, Umami Short Ribs

This dish was loosely inspired by the final season of The Bear. My relationship with the show is complicated: having spent years in gourmet kitchens and food service, its chaos feels a little too familiar. The acting is phenomenal, the storytelling razor‑sharp; but it’s so stressful I can only handle one episode at a time. Truly. Phew.

Season 5 centers around Chef Syd’s “Family Meal” of short ribs, a dish rooted in her childhood memories of her mother braising meat in Coca‑Cola. It’s a technique I’ve seen and used before. The cola’s acidity and sugar tenderize the meat while adding a subtle caramel sweetness. It also needs a way to balance that sweetness with deep umami. She uses fish sauce; I went with miso paste for a rounder, earthier backbone.

I’ve cooked with cola in the past, but this time I wanted something that felt especially reminiscent of Syd’s creation. So, I leaned into the sweetness of real Coke, fresh peaches, and hot honey, then grounded it with savory elements: tomato sauce, shallots, miso, an unapologetic amount of black pepper, and the nutty richness of browned butter. The result was layered, nostalgic, and just a little bit wild—in the best way.

To finish, I served the short ribs over boiled yucca, which brought a clean, starchy equilibrium to all that complexity. The whole meal came together beautifully. It’s comforting, bold, and absolutely worth the inspiration.

Sweet, Spicy, Umami Short Ribs

2 large yucca root tubers
8 Tbs. grass-fed butter (Kerrygold is THE GOLD STANDARD and makes a difference)
2 lbs. beef short ribs, cut into 4” pieces
1 large shallot, minced
1 large peach, minced
kosher salt and black pepper
16 oz. real Coke (not diet)
14 oz. tomato sauce
2 Tbs. hot, spicy honey
1 ½ Tbs. white miso paste
additional black pepper, freshly ground

Chop the yucca into 3” lengths.

In a small pot, cover with water and bring to a boil.

Boil for 20-25 minutes, until soft.

Drain, cool enough to handle, and slice off the thick peel of the pieces. Then, chop each root round piece into quarters. Set aside.

In a large Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat until just beginning to brown and caramelize.

Season the short ribs with salt and pepper and sear in the brown butter for 3 minutes on each side.

Reduce heat to a simmer and add the peaches and shallots. Stir until well coated in the remaining browned butter and beef tallow.

Add the Coke, tomato sauce, miso, and hot honey. Simmer for 30-40 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the beef has gently cooked all the way through.

Plate with several slices of yucca root and spoonfuls of the short ribs atop.

Garnish with additional freshly ground pepper.