Short Ribs Loco Moco

I was so taken with the Royal Loco Moco at The Royal Hawaiian’s Surf Lanai Restaurant that I couldn’t wait to recreate it at home by creating Short Ribs Loco Moco. Maui onions were replaced by yellow onions and Hamakua mushrooms with crimini, but the spirit is the same. I like eating it with a few dashes of Tabasco. If this is the closest I can get to having some aloha in my kitchen, then I’m quite content.

Collecting Turtles

Back in my parent’s house in New York, there is a tall curio cabinet. It flanks a wall between the living and dining rooms, and in it, are dolls. Small dolls that were lovingly collected as my family traveled from country to country, year after year. Each one is in traditional dress, souvenirs that my mother made sure we brought home, wherever we were in the world. Some are kitschy, and some are truly ornate, but each one is priceless in its sentimental value.

By the time I was in high school, that curio cabinet was quite full, and my parents realized that we needed another one. Not for more dolls, although that would have been a good idea, as they were running out of room. Instead, they realized that my own collection was growing. When we visited Brazil and Argentina, I somehow decided I was going to collect turtles. Year after year, vacation after vacation, my turtle collection was growing. Turtles that were made of shells, handblown glass, amber, opal, and even bread dough. They purchased another curio cabinet, a smaller one, to house my turtle friends.

I moved my turtles here shortly after I married. They still live in a box, each one carefully wrapped. I’ve moved on to collecting other things, I guess.

Collecting Tastes

A few weeks ago, I went away. If you keep in touch on Instagram, then you will know that we were able to steal away to Waikiki for several days. It was a good little getaway, and even though I saw plenty of turtle figurines I could bring home, instead I was collecting delicious tastes. And I had a little help from friends on Instagram. Myra, also known as bonnevivante, knew we were staying at The Royal Hawaiian. She commented, “You must try the Royal Loco Moco at the restaurant for breakfast.”

Boy, was she right.

The loco moco. I had never had one before, but it’s probably just as traditional in Hawaii as a luau. There are many ways to go about it, but at the very basic, a loco moco is a hot plate of white rice, topped with a hamburger patty, a fried egg, and brown gravy.

At the Surf Lanai restaurant in The Royal Hawaiian, it’s a little fancier. They have the Royal Loco Moco: beef short ribs & rice, poached eggs with Hamakua mushroom & crispy fried Maui onions.

For breakfast.

After our first taste, we were hooked. Each day thereafter began with a hearty Royal Loco Moco, which, looking back, is probably good that only meant two more mornings. Because before we knew it, it was time to return home.

But now I had those flavors in my mental suitcase. A souvenir.

Short Ribs Loco Moco

I bought some gorgeous short ribs. Then began the process of braising them.

Wine was in order. Do you freeze any excess wine? It comes in handy.

I poached the eggs and fried up some spicy onion rings. They crowned the short ribs, the sauce swimming in the rice bed below. The islands came to us for dinner.

The humble Hawaiian plate lunch is glorified in this version, and while yes, it is an amazing way to start your day, it’s perfectly elegant enough for a dinner with friends. I love that you can make your short ribs the night before and when it comes time to serve, it takes just a few minutes to poach your eggs. That type of ease, I am loco for, for sure.

Other Recipes Featuring Short Ribs

Braised Chipotle Short Ribs
Mushroom and Short Rib Noodle Soup
Korean-style Short Ribs with Noodles
A Good Day for Short Ribs

Short Ribs Loco Moco

I was so taken with the Royal Loco Moco at The Royal Hawaiian’s Surf Lanai Restaurant that I couldn’t wait to recreate it at home. Maui onions were replaced by yellow onions and hamakua mushrooms with crimini, but the spirit is the same. I like eating it with a few dashes of Tabasco. If this is the closest I can get to having some aloha in my kitchen, then I’m quite content.

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Course Breakfast, Brunch, Main Course

Cuisine hawaiian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 951kcal

Author Liren Baker

Ingredients

Short Ribs

• ▢ 2 tablespoons canola oil
• ▢ 6 pieces short ribs
• ▢ kosher salt
• ▢ freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ 4 small carrots diced
• ▢ 4 stalks celery diced
• ▢ 4 medium onion diced
• ▢ 6 cloves garlic smashed
• ▢ 3 cups crimini mushroom trimmed and halved
• ▢ 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• ▢ 2 cups red wine
• ▢ 1 cup beef stock

Rice

• ▢ 1 cup rice
• ▢ water

Crisp and Spicy Fried Onions

• ▢ 1/2 medium onion thinly sliced
• ▢ 1 cup buttermilk
• ▢ 2 dashes Tabasco
• ▢ 1/2 cup flour
• ▢ 1/2 cup cornstarch
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/4 cup peanut oil

Poached Eggs

• ▢ 6-12 eggs (1-2 eggs per person)
• ▢ water
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vinegar

Garnish

• ▢ 12 oz fresh spinach

COOK MODEPrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Short Ribs

• This may be prepared in a slow cooker or in the oven. If using the oven, preheat to 275 degrees.
• Place an ovenproof casserole dish, Dutch oven, or heatproof slow cooker insert over medium heat. Add vegetable oil and heat until it is very hot but not yet smoking. Season short ribs generously with salt and pepper.
• Add short ribs to the pot, working in batches if necessary (take care not to let the short ribs touch – you run the risk of them steaming rather than browning). Cook ribs until browned, about 10 minutes. Do not rush! Remove ribs from casserole dish, and set aside.
• Remove excess fat, leaving just about 2-3 Tbsp in the casserole dish.
• Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to oil in the casserole dish, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and golden – about 10 minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms and cook a few minutes more.
• Add flour and tomato paste to the casserole dish, and stir to combine. Deglaze the pan with the wine; stir with wooden spoon until all browned bits have been scraped from the pan. Simmer, then add beef stock.
• Return the browned ribs to the casserole dish and add the bay leaf. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover the casserole dish, and place it in the oven or slow cooker. If using a slow cooker, cook on high setting. Cook until ribs are very tender, about 3 hours.

Rice

• Prepare rice. See the notes for my way to cook rice.

Crisp and Spicy Fried Onions

• Stir the thin onion slices in a bath of buttermilk spiked with Tabasco. Let it sit about 30 minutes. Combine flour, cornstarch and salt in a bowl. Heat the peanut oil in a skillet. Working in batches, coat onion rings in the flour mixture and fry. Drain on paper towels.

Poached Eggs

• Heat about two inches of water in a large deep sided skillet. Bring to a rolling boil, then lower heat to just a simmer. Stir in vinegar. Crack egg into a small heatproof bowl or ramekin. Lower into the boiling water and let it sit for 3-5 minutes until the white cook and the yolk is enveloped. If your water is not deep enough, you may have to gently spoon simmering water over the egg yolk to help it along. Work in batches. Retrieve egg with a slotted spoon and rest on a plate for a minute or so.

Assembly

• Place a bed of rice in a deep dish. Place a short rib on top, along with mushrooms and some sauce. Top with poached egg and crispy onions. Serve immediately.

Notes

How I Cook Rice

Nutrition

Calories: 951kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 248mg | Sodium: 532mg | Potassium: 1295mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 12463IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 194mg | Iron: 4mg

Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see! Tag @kitchconfidante on Instagram and hashtag it #kitchenconfidante