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Short Ribs with Coffee and Chile Sauce

Background info: A timeless symbol of humanity’s journey from foraging to farming, cattle have long impacted the growth of nations. They have provided deeply nourishing “first foods” for many traditional cultures, such as the Maasai People, who still rely on raw meat, milk and blood for the majority of their diet. As well as being a highly-bioavailable source of essential nutrients like zinc, grass-fed, grass-finished beef also provides a generous helping of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), which can help improve insulin sensitivity.
– Price-Pottenger
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Braised beef short ribs are a delectable dining experience. Slow-roasting the meat in liquid achieves an incredibly tender and juicy texture that is unrivaled. While the result is a gourmet melt-in-your-mouth meal, getting there is surprisingly easy and relatively foolproof. Cooking the meat slowly is key – so sit back, relax, and let your oven do the hard work for you.
This recipe for braised short ribs is both spicy and complex. The heat from the chile adobo sauce is balanced by the acidity and sweetness of the coffee, making this a dish that everyone will enjoy. Serve with kimchi coleslaw, whose fermented vegetables aid the digestion and counteract the richness of the ribs.
Serves 6
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours
Ingredients
- 6 pounds beef short ribs
- 4 dried ancho chiles
- 4 tablespoons chile adobo sauce (see below)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup shallots, chopped
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (preferably Grade A, Dark Color & Robust Flavor)
- Juice and zest of one lime
- Sea salt, to taste
- 1 tablespoon ghee or lard
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ cup brewed coffee
Directions
Preheat oven to 300° F.
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Pour into a small bowl and soak the ancho chiles for about 20 minutes or until soft. Reserve half the liquid after soaking.
In a blender, combine the softened ancho chiles, chile adobo sauce, garlic, shallots, maple syrup, lime juice and zest, and salt (to taste). Puree until smooth.
Heat the ghee or lard in a heavy-bottom skillet over medium heat. Do not let it smoke! In a small bowl, combine the onion powder, paprika, and cumin with a little salt. Pat the ribs dry, and sprinkle with this seasoning mixture.
Brown the ribs in the skillet in batches, about 5 minutes on each side until a crust forms. Transfer to a Dutch oven and arrange in one layer.
Carefully add the sauce to the fat in the skillet, and cook for about five minutes or until slightly caramelized. Add the brewed coffee and the reserved soaking liquid from the ancho chiles. Bring to a boil and reduce for 5 minutes, then pour over the ribs (liquid should be less than halfway up the sides of the meat).
Cover the Dutch oven tightly with a lid, using parchment paper to seal the pot if necessary. Place in the preheated oven and braise until the meat falls off the bone, about 3-4 hours. Skim the fat from the pan juices. Serve the ribs on the bone with the sauce poured over.
Chile Adobo Sauce
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 3 ounces dried guajillo chiles, wiped clean, stemmed, slit open, seeded, and deveined
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons oregano (preferably Mexican)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 pinch of ground cloves
- 1½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- 4 cups beef or chicken bone broth (preferably homemade), or a combination of the two
- ¾ teaspoon rapadura (optional)
Directions
Place the ghee into a large skillet and set over medium heat. When hot, add the chiles 1 or 2 pieces at a time until very toasty smelling and blistered, only a few seconds per side. Pour off all but a generous film of ghee from the skillet and set aside. Transfer the chiles to a large bowl and measure in 4 cups hot water; a small plate on top will keep the chiles submerged. Let rehydrate for about 20 minutes.
Combine the garlic, oregano, cumin, cloves, and vinegar in a blender or food processor. Pour in the rehydrated chiles and half of the soaking liquid. Pulse the mixture to a smooth puree. Press through a medium-mesh strainer to make a sauce.
Set the chile-frying skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the sauce and stir until reduced to the thickness of tomato paste, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the broth, reduce to medium heat, and simmer until reduced by three-fourths, about 30 minutes. The finished sauce should be quite light, but not watery. Season with salt and rapadura (if desired), and stir until combined. It should be sweet and sour with a hint of saltiness.Chef Taylor Allen attended San Diego Culinary Institute
Chef Taylor Allen attended San Diego Culinary Institute where she acquired knowledge of traditional French cooking techniques. Taylor is available for personal, in-home ancestral food preparation and real-food kitchen retrofits throughout San Diego and Los Angeles Counties. She specializes in GAPS protocol as well as paleo and gluten- and casein-free meals. Contact her at taylor@deeplynourishedlife.com for more information.
Check out other Taylor Allen recipes:
Shepherd’s Pie with Cauliflower Crust
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Published in the Price-Pottenger Journal of Health & Healing
Spring – Summer 2019 | Volume 43, Number 1
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