Chocolate & Chile Braised Short Ribs
Chocolate & Chile Braised Short Ribs
Chocolate & Chile Braised Short Ribs
Chocolate & Chile Braised Short Ribs

Chocolate & Chile Braised Short Ribs

David Venable

Chocolate goes savory in this spicy main course. And by doing some of the cooking in a slow cooker, you can save time & have a one-of-a-kind dish.

Ingredients

  • 5 lbs boneless short ribs, cut into block sections, about 4" x 4"
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 1 Tbsp garlic, chopped
  • 4 oz tomato paste
  • 3 Tbsp ketchup
  • 3 dried guajillo chiles, seeded
  • 3 dried ancho chiles, seeded
  • 3 dried arbol chiles, seeded
  • 1 jalapeño, roasted and seeded (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 Tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme
  • 1 Tbsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground pepper
  • 1 disc Abuelita Mexican hot chocolate, chopped
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 4 cups beef stock

Preparation

Season the short ribs with salt and pepper, then dust with flour. In a 12" skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs on all sides, remove from skillet, and reserve.
Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the skillet. Sauté until they start to achieve color. Stir in the garlic, cooking for a minute, then put in the paste and ketchup. Sauté while stirring until the paste starts to darken, scraping the bottom of the skillet to prevent burning. Stir in the dried chiles, jalapeño, paprika, cumin, thyme, salt, pepper, and chocolate. Continue to mix together. Incorporate the red wine and beef stock and heat until just at a simmer.
Place the short ribs in a 6-qt slow cooker, and pour the vegetable and liquid mixture over the ribs (it should almost cover the meat). Cook on low for 4–5 hours. The ribs should be very tender and should almost, but not quite, fall apart. Carefully remove the ribs to a serving platter and keep warm.
Strain the sauce into a bowl and skim any fat from the surface. Taste for seasoning, adjusting with salt and pepper as needed. Ladle sauce over ribs and serve.

Cook's Notes

Ask your butcher for boneless English-cut short ribs from the chuck end of the rib. This ensures you get a thicker, meatier cut. If you don’t want to use dried chilies, substitute 4 Tbsp of chili powder.

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