Instructions: My mother was a very single-minded cook. When she mastered a recipe, she managed to use it over and over. Her pot roast, brisket and short ribs were all made with exactly the same recipe.

First, dump the meat into a big old roasting pan. Then pour on a bottle of Heinz chili sauce, a package of onion soup and a cup or two of liquid, usually water. Cover the pan and bake for three or more hours or until the meat scarcely held together. and although somewhat monotonous and totally predictable, I actually loved the result.

In particular, I loved it when the choice of meat was short ribs. Her short ribs were rich and silky (probably because short ribs are fairly well-streaked with fat), and they were the only short ribs I knew. It wasnt until I left home that I learned there were many wonderful ways to cook short ribs.

Because short ribs can be tough and somewhat fatty, they used to be a bargain cut. No more. Restaurant chefs began offering them slowly cooked, bathed in various flavorful liquids, and people ordered them again and again. I guess Im not alone with my fond memories of my mothers humble ribs. And short ribs do have a great beef flavor and succulent tenderness when cooked properly.

This newfound popularity, combined with the fact that a lot of U.S. short ribs are shipped to Korea, has managed to keep the price up. And although more expensive than they used to be, short ribs still are quite affordable and well worth the price.

Short ribs are cut from the 12 ribs that extend from a steers back to its belly. They may come from the shoulder area, the prime-rib area or the area that produces the brisket, but butchers do not distinguish what section they are cut from.

When the short ribs are produced by cutting between the ribs and are cut into rectangular chunks, each with a single piece of rib bone, they are called English-style short ribs (Sometimes the bone is removed and the chunky pieces are sold as boneless short ribs).

When the short ribs are produced by cutting across several ribs so that each piece of meat may contain several rib bones, they are called Flanken-style short ribs. In some Asian markets, these cross-rib slices can be quite thin (about 1/4 inch) and are marked as Korean-style short ribs.

These can be marinated and grilled instead of cooked by the more traditional method of long, slow moist heat cooking. Because the meat is thin and cut across the grain, it is tender enough to eat even when grilled.

Marinated beef short ribs called bul-goki are a national dish of Korea, and no Korean restaurant would leave them off the menu. Some Korean cooks prefer to use the English-style short ribs that are turned into a thin strip of meat by cutting the ribs parallel to the bone and with an accordion cut.

Short ribs will always have a certain amount of fat streaked through the lean, but this can vary. Choose ribs that are more meaty and lean, and be sure to trim off all external fat before cooking.

I enjoy the beefy flavor of short ribs so much that I often will buy boneless ribs and cut them into cubes to use as stew meat instead of boneless beef chuck.

One of my favorite short rib dishes adapts this approach, cooking whole or cut up short ribs in a rich broth of tomato, wine and fresh fennel. This Italian inspired ragu is then eaten over wide egg noodles called pappardelle. And as with all great braised meat dishes, it is best to make the dish a day or two ahead so the flavors can mingle and mellow together in the refrigerator.

Beer-loving countries such as England and Belgium have learned the joy of using beer in their cooking. A world-class dish applying this sudsy approach is beef carbinade from Belgium. I have adapted this method to braise short ribs, with very appetizing results. Make sure to serve the short ribs with lots of mashed potatoes, or, if you dont mind crossing cultures a bit, serve them on a bed of creamy polenta or grits.

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