Ingredients
Method
- Prep. Cut the meat into single bone sections. If you buy a normal 4 bone section they will be about 8 inches (20 cm) long. Or you can buy them cut into more bite-size riblets. Trim off as much surface fat as possible off the meat and bone.
- Coarsely chop the onion. Trim, peel, and cut the carrots into bite sized coins. Trim the celery ribs into bite size pieces. Peel the garlic cloves and cut each one in half.
- Fire up. Pre-heat a smoker to 225°F (107°C) or set-up a grill for 2-zone cooking and heat to 225°F (107°C).
- Cook. Sprinkle the meat side lightly with salt and pepper. Throw them on the smoker or on the indirect heat side of the grill for about an hour. Use lots of wood to generate lots of smoke. That won't cook them much, but it will impart a nice smoke undertone.
- In a large heavy pot, about 4 quarts (4 L), melt the butter. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, herbes de Provence, and bay leaves and cook over medium heat until the carrots begin to soften, about 20 minutes. Don't let the onions burn.
- Add the mustard, prunes, wine, tomatoes, and broth. Bring the liquid to a boil but don't let it boil for more than a few seconds, and then dial the temperature to a gentle simmer. Add the meat bone side down and submerge it. Cook for about 3 hours without a cover. Check every 30 minutes or so to make sure it is not burning on the bottom. It should not stick if you used the right amount of butter and if you aren't cooking too hot. If it does burn resist the temptation to scrape the bottom. That burned stuff will ruin it. Just pour it into a new pot. As the liquid cooks down the meat will stick out at the surface and darken and form a crust. You want about 4 cups (950 mL) of stew, not counting the meat, so add a lid if it starts getting low. If it has reduced too much add more water or stock. If it is too thin, leave the lid off and cook it some more.
- About 30 minutes before serving, start a 2 quart (1.9 L) pot of water boiling and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the noodles and boil according to the instructions on the package.
- About 10 minutes before serving, remove the bones if you wish, they should slide easily off the meat, and add the the olives to the stew if you decide to use them, to warm them. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Serve. Place the noodles on the plates, put the meat and veggies on top, pour the liquid over, sprinkle with parsley.
Notes
Optional. 1/2 cup Nicoise olives, pitted (small, brine-cured olives) added 10 minutes before serving.
About the salt. Remember, kosher salt is half the concentration of table salt so if you use table salt, use half as much. Click here to read more about salt and how it works.