Christmas..!! Let’s face it, we all know what it is and what it represents but there is more than one Christmas, and why is one right and the other wrong, or are they both wrong or are they both right? So, in short, yes, there are two Christmas holidays, Team December 25th, or the Gregorian Christmas, aka the modern calendar, and Team January 7th, or the Julian Christmas, aka the old calendar. So, when was Jesus really born? The exact date or month is really not confirmed, but historical scholars estimate that Jesus was born somewhere between 6 and 4 BC or BCE depending on your way of interpretation. In any case, why in January and why in December? Well, in 46 BC/BCE, Julius Caesar created a calendar consisting of 365 days, and every fourth year it would have 366 days. Once Julius Caesar became emperor of Rome, he felt obligated to correct the calendar of that period from a Lunar calendar, which often fell out of season, to a more uniform-type calendar that was easy to follow, hence the birth of the 365-day calendar. Wait...?? Not so fast...!! In 1582 a Catholic Pope by the name of Gregory XIII decided it was not what he wanted. He was tired of the Julian calendar as it really didn’t mathematically display the perfect day. So, Pope Gregory created a calendar that would specifically space out the leap year to a more precise time of 365.2425 days in a year, to be more aligned with the Tropical and Lunar year that is determined by the earth’s rotation around the sun.
So, back to the original question! Why do we celebrate Christmas on two different dates? The truth really lies in the crucifixion on April 3, 33 AD and resurrection on April 5, 33 AD since we historically do know when these events occurred. According to the Julian Calendar, Easter falls on the Sunday after the first full moon after Passover. According to the Gregorian Calendar, Easter falls on the first Sunday following the first ecclesiastical full moon that occurs on or after the day of the vernal equinox or before Passover. When we use the mathematical calculation outlined by Julius Caesar and Pope Gregory with the resurrection as the baseline, it is estimated that Jesus’ birthday was not necessarily in the winter months, but it will be celebrated by Christians on either January 7th or December 25th, an 11-day difference. So, neither is necessarily right or wrong. The modern world chooses to celebrate December 25th and the old world chooses to celebrate January 7th, splitting Christianity in the Orthodox world and the Catholic world, along with various Protestant faiths. Just to be clear, these are the cliff notes, and if you really have time on your hands and wish to dive into this rabbit hole in history, have at it!
So, what do short ribs have to do with any of this?? Absolutely nothing...!! After all of this thinking and calculating we should all just have a great meal to help with the mental anguish of the mathematics and the theology above… we are adding bourbon to our dish!
Let’s Get Started:
Ingredients – Maple Bourbon Braised Short Ribs:
Short Ribs; as many as you like, I used 8 or a total of 4 lbs. from Farmers Rail
Kosher salt and ground pepper; I used a seasoning with salt and pepper along with garlic
All-purpose flour
Olive Oil
1 celery stalk; diced – I used 2, but it’s your choice
1 carrot-medium; diced – I used 2 here, as well
1 yellow onion-medium; diced
2 Tbsp of tomato paste
2 tsp of fresh chopped thyme
1 whole head of garlic
1 cup of Bourbon; your choice, I used Woodford Reserve, and yes, I had a few sips as I was cooking
½ cup of maple syrup; I used a pure Ohio maple syrup
3 cups of beef stock
Prep and Instructions – Maple Bourbon Braised Short Ribs:
Season your short ribs. I typically like to do it a day in advance and refrigerate overnight; it really doesn’t make a huge difference, it’s pure preference.
If you’re a fan of the pan, I suggest a nice 7-quart cast iron Dutch oven. I have a Lodge and it’s the best ever (a big thank you to my lovely wife!) and when properly seasoned, its generally maintenance free. Start warming your Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and while you are waiting for it to get to temperature you can sip some Bourbon, and you can dust short ribs with the all-purpose flour.
Once the Dutch oven is to temperature, add olive oil and begin to brown all sides of the short ribs.
Once all of the short ribs have been browned, you can place them to the side on a plate or similar, I used another cast iron pan, but you can use anything you want.
Add the diced carrot(s), celery and onion and sauté until tender, stir in the tomato paste and thyme, and then add in the garlic, maple syrup, Bourbon and beef stock, and stir.
Add the short ribs back into the cast iron Dutch oven and bring it to a boil.
While it is coming to a boil you can begin to heat your over to 325 degrees.
Once your oven has reached temperature and the Dutch oven has come to boil you can transfer it all to your oven to cook for the next 3 hours.
Conclusion:
Yes! This is another grand slam homerun dish. The short ribs served over garlic redskin mashed potatoes and a side dish of caramelized carrots was just great. You can serve with any side dish to complement the short ribs, but I chose the potatoes and carrots. I paired this with a Bourbon, what else but a great Woodford Reserve to sharpen those taste buds as you enjoy the meal.
Merry Christmas, whichever one you celebrate and Happy New Year!
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