The best thing I have made to date (Citrus Chili Short Ribs)

I've been told that I am prone to hyperbole, but dammit this dish from Bon Appetit was something else! It was also a pain in the petunia to make. (don't you love how my blog title contains an expletive but you won't find them here!) You can make it in your crock pot and set it and forget it too.  That was my plan until I remembered I don't have a crock pot.  I will add those directions in the full recipe after the step by step.  I literally made this dish over 24 hours but that was my fault as my social life got in my way.

I'm not listing them, there's too many.  

Salt and pepper your short ribs on a foiled pan

Place in the fridge for a few hours (at least 2, up to 24)

I'm not sure they look different after 7 hours.

Brown them in a dutch oven in batches over medium heat in some oil.

Oops I undercooked one!

In the meantime, chop veggies, gracious that's alot, and I had already scraped half the onions in the pot!

Add the cumin, tomato paste and chiles and stir until darkened.

Add your liquids and aromatics and the short ribs back to the pot.

Five 12 hours later remove from oven

Remove the short ribs and any bones (resist urge to make stock)

Strain the sauce and discard the solids

My poor pot

put it on high ans bring to a boil.  Keep heating until reduced by half, about 20 minutes.

Add the short ribs back in.  Y'all this sauce though, whoa!

So I went to a pool party that ran a little long and didn't get this on until like 10:00pm so that's why my cook time was wonky.  I served it over egg noodles and made quinoa for the coworkers to have it over.  The leftover meat is going in enchiladas which I will make tomorrow and blog about later.

Ingredients:

• 6 bone-in beef short ribs (about 3 pounds)
  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  2 medium onions, chopped
  2 heads of garlic, halved crosswise
  4 celery stalks, chopped
  2 medium carrots, peeled, chopped
  2 tablespoons tomato paste
  2 teaspoons cumin
  6 chiles de árbol, or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  4 sprigs oregano
  4 wide strips orange zest, plus some thin strips for serving
  1 cup  fresh orange juice (about 4 oranges)
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 350.  Brown the short ribs on all sides in oil in a dutch oven and remove to a plate.  Add more olive oil if needed.  Add onion, garlic, celery, carrots, tomato paste, cumin and chiles and saute 10-15 minutes until tomato paste is darkened.  Add oregano, orange zest, water, orange juice and short ribs back to the pot.  Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom and then cover and place in the oven for 5 hours.  (Note I did this overnight on 180 while I slept.  You can also dump the veggies in your cockpot and then add all the other stuff and cook for 9 hours on low)

Remove the short ribs from the pot yet again.  Strain the sauce and discard the solids.  Place on stovetop at high heat an cook until reduced by half, about 30 minutes.  Add short ribs back to sauce and serve.

I made quinoa and squeezed a lime over it and added a handful of chopped cilantro.  This was in lieu of adding that to the short ribs like the original recipe suggested.

I'm serious this was worth the effort!  If you make it, share your experience with me please! Especially if you try the crock pot version.

Happy Cooking!

Missy