Tag: chile pepper

Ingredients

• 2 large dried chile peppers, stemmed and deseeded
• 1 cup boiling water
• 5 1/2 pounds center cut short ribs, on the bone
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons chipotle olive oil (or regular EVOO if you prefer less spicy)
• 3 cups beef stock
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons Dutch red cocoa powder (Guittard)
• 4-5 cloves garlic, smashed
• 3 small onions, chopped
• One bottle red wine (Pinot Noir or Merlot or Cab Sauv)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• A few sprigs of fresh herbs (rosemary and thyme)
• Knob of unsalted butter (1-2 tablespoons)
• Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
• Roasted cauliflower and brussels sprouts, for serving
• Mashed potatoes or egg noodles, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Adjust rack to lower third.
2. Cover chopped chile peppers with boiling water and let sit, covered for about 20 minutes until soft.
3. Meanwhile, sprinkle short ribs on both sides generously with kosher salt and pepper and let rest to room temperature about 15 minutes while peppers are soaking.
4. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook short ribs in batches, searing evenly on both sides until golden brown crust forms (about 7 minutes per side/15 minutes per batch).
5. Once all short ribs are seared, place on a platter tented with foil and set aside.
6. In a blender or food processor, add the chiles, water, stock, tomato paste, cocoa, garlic, onions, and a little dash of salt and mix thoroughly together until smooth.
7. Pour the red wine in the Dutch oven and scrape the brown bits up from the bottom of the pan (deglazing the pan) and turn heat up to high bringing to a boil for 2-3 minutes, then reducing heat to a simmer, letting wine reduce by half (about 20 minutes).
8. Add the pureed chile-onion mixture, balsamic vinegar and fresh herbs to the pot and boil together for a few minutes. Return the short ribs to the pot, cover tightly with a lid and braise in the oven for about 2 1/2 hours until meat is tender and falls off the bone.
9. Place the ribs back on to a large platter and tent with foil to keep warm while making the sauce.
10. Put the Dutch oven on the stove and heat over medium-high for another 10 minutes or so until sauce thickens and reduces. Remove from heat and add a knob of butter into the sauce to make it extra silky and smooth.
11. Add the ribs back into the sauce and coat thoroughly. Serve on plates with sauce on top along side roasted veggies and mashed potatoes or egg noodles. Garnish with fresh parsley and additional salt and pepper to taste.

Notes