Chile-Braised Short Rib Tacos

Chile-Braised Short Rib Tacos

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 3 pounds beef short ribs

Rub

• 2 TB brown sugar
• 1 TB cumin
• 1 TB salt
• 1 TB smoked paprika
• 1 TB garlic powder
• 1 tsp black pepper

Chile Braise

• 1/3 cup red wine
• 1 small onion, roughly cut
• 5 garlic cloves
• 3 TB chile paste or 3/4 TB chile powder
• 3 TB tomato paste
• 3 TB bacon fat (or olive oil)
• 1 TB brown sugar
• 1 tsp cumin

Instructions

• Prepare rub by mixing all rub ingredients together.
• Dry off short ribs with paper towel
• Pat rub on all sides of ribs
• Put the ribs on a cookie cooling rack on top of a jelly roll pan, cover with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, heat 2-3 TB oil or bacon fat over a medium-high heat. Sear the ribs on all sides, about 2 minutes each side.
• Preheat oven to 300'.
• Place seared ribs into oven-proof pan and set aside.

For the Chile Braise

• In blender or food processor, place onion, garlic, chile paste, tomato paste, red wine, cumin and sugar. Process until pureed.
• Wipe out the pan you used to sear the short ribs if it needs (i.e. burnt pieces) and add 1 TB oil/fat.
• Add pureed chiles to oil/fat and saute for 3- 4 minutes.
• Evenly distribute the puree over top of the ribs, cover with aluminum foil snugly and bake for 3 hours, until tender and falling apart.
• Remove from oven, remove aluminum foil turn oven on to broil and place ribs 6 inches from broiler for 7-8 minutes.
• Pull meat off and serve with flour tortillas, cotija cheese, pickled onions and cilantro.
• Can easily be made ahead of time and reheated.

By Lynn Spencer

Pics and printable recipe available at: Nourish and Nestle

bon appetit