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We’ve had numerous requests from viewers all over the country for the beef short rib recipe that is featured on our public television show Mexico – One Plate at a Time with Rick Bayless. No wonder – few dishes are this simple, full-flavored and delicious.
You can also make this recipe with beef chuck roast or country-style pork ribs.
But do seek out the short ribs and the epazote for the most traditional Mexican flavor.
Serves 4 as a main dish
5 medium (about 1 pound total) fresh poblano chiles
2 tablespoons rich-tasting pork lard or vegetable oil
2 generous pounds bone-in beef short ribs
1 large white onion, sliced
6 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds (3 medium-large round or 9 to 12 plum) ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
OR 1 28-ounce can good-quality tomatoes packed in juice, drained and chopped into _-inch pieces
Salt
1 large sprig fresh epazote, plus an additional sprig for garnish
OR 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme and/or marjoram, plus a sprig or two for garnish
Roasting the poblanos. Roast the poblanos directly over a gas flame or on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler, turning regularly until the skin has blistered and blackened on all sides, about 5 minutes for open flame, about 10 minutes for a broiler. Be careful not to char the flesh, only the skin. Cover with a kitchen towel and let stand 5 minutes. Rub off the blackened skin, then pull out the stem and seed pod. Tear the chiles open and rinse briefly to remove stray seeds and bits of skin. Slice into 1/4-inch strips.
Searing the meat. Heat the oven to 325º. In a medium-large (4- to 6-quart) pot (preferably a Dutch oven or Mexican cazuela) heat the lard or oil over medium-high. Lay in the short ribs in a single, uncrowded layer. When richly browned on one side, about 5 minutes, turn them over and brown the other side, 3 to 5 minutes more. Remove to a plate and tip off all but a generous coating of oil on the bottom of the pan.
The flavorings. Set the pan back on the stove and reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, stir for another minute, then add the tomatoes. Stir occasionally until the tomatoes have softened and lost their juicy look (about 3 minutes for fresh tomatoes, 3 to 5 minutes for canned). Stir in the poblano strips, 1 teaspoon salt and the herb(s).
Braising the meat. Nestle the browned meat into the tomato mixture, spooning some over the top. Cover the pot (a piece of foil works for the cazuela) and set in the oven. After 1 1/2 hours, check the meat: it should be fork tender. If not, re-cover and braise an extra 15 minutes or so.
Serving the dish. Using a spatula, remove the meat to a warm serving platter. Tip the Dutch oven to collect the chunky sauce in one end and spoon off the fat that rises to the top. Taste the sauce and season with additional salt if you think it needs it. Spoon the sauce around the meat. This homey dish doesn’t actually need a garnish, but if you have a sprig of epazote, thyme or marjoram, it’ll look beautiful here.
Working Ahead: There’s a warm hominess to this dish if it’s made a day or two ahead, and stored in the refrigerator (discard any solidified fat from the surface) until you are ready to reheat it (this may be done in a covered pot on the stove or in a 325º oven). For a just-braised texture (and to ensure that your guests’ mouths water from the aromas), you may prepare the dish through Step 3, cover and refrigerate the two parts separately, then continue within a couple of hours of serving. The finished dish will hold well for an hour or so in a very low oven.
Recipe excerpted from Mexico – One Plate at a Time by Rick Bayless (Scribner).
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