Chile Rubbed, Grilled, then Braised Short Rib Tacos

 About 4-5 pounds of thin cut short ribs. 

Season short ribs with salt, pepper and ancho chili pepper. Sear on a hot hot grill for 3 min per side. Reserve. 

In a sauce pot - 2 cups Chicken and 2 cups beef broth with 1 poblano pepper sliced open and 1 tbsp chipotle chili powder and 1 Tsp beef bouillon. 15 min steep 

In a Dutch oven - 3 tbsp oil and 1 Spanish onion diced. Salt and pepper and cook 10 min. 

Add 6 cloves of smashed garlic and cook 1 min. 

Add 1 tbsp sofrito and stir. Then add 1 cup port wine and 2 cups dry red wine. Simmer on low for 15 min or until reduced almost completely. 

Add 10 sprigs of thyme and 4 cups of the stock mixture. Bring back to simmer. 

Since I had a lot of meat I used a dutch oven and then another oval baking dish with a lid. I spaced out my short ribs in the baking dish that I haven’t been simmering the liquid. About half of your meat. Then ladle the liquid on top 3/4 up leaving the top of the short ribs exposed. Then place the other short ribs in the Dutch oven. If you have liquid covering all the way up ladle some out. Put half the poblano from the liquid in each. Cover and cook 2:45 at 350. 

GREEN RELISH ACCOMPANIMENT: While the meat is cooking make the relish. Broil two poblano peppers until charred. Cover in a bowl with plastic wrap for 10 min. Peel skin. Remove seeds and dice. Put them in the same bowl you had the smoky peppers in to grab some of that smoke from the bowl. Add juice of 1 lime, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and 4 piquillo peppers diced. Stir and add a little salt and pepper. Reserve. 

CHEESE SAUCE ACCOMPANIMENT: When meat is about 15 min make your cheese sauce. 1 tbsp butter in saucepan. Whisk in 1 tbsp flour. Cool 1 min. Whisk in 1 1/4 cup milk. Continue whisking for 5 min until thickened. Turn off the heat and whisk in 3 cups of freshly shredded white Monterey Jack cheese (not pre shredded) and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm. 

When meat is done remove beef from oven. Skim off the fat. Carefully pull out the meat and place in a bowl. Strain the cooking liquid into a large braising pan or same Dutch oven. Reduce for 10-15 minutes. While that’s reducing pull away the meat from the bones. (Save bones for beef stock later). When liquid is reduced add meat back to liquid.  

Prep tacos. Use crunchy taco shells. Meat, then cheese, then salsa and pickled onion. This makes about 12 tacos.

Wine pairing: 

County Line

Syrah

Sonoma Coast, CA 

2018