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The short ribs
I am not exaggerating. Four pounds of short ribs, seared until deeply caramelized, then braised for three hours in a tangy, spicy tomatillo sauce with jalapeños, garlic, coriander, and fresh lime juice. When you pull the lid off the Dutch oven, the meat is falling off the bone and the sauce has reduced into something so rich and complex that you’ll want to eat it with a spoon. The tomatillos break down completely during the braise and create a sauce that’s bright, acidic, and just spicy enough to keep things interesting without overpowering the beef.
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@carmeninthegarden Buckle up! This is probably my most favorite #gardentotable meal I’ve ever made!! spicy, tangy tomatillo short ribs with beans, and a refreshing kohlrabi cucumber salad. Yum!! ☀️ #garden #recipe #summer ♬ original sound – Carmen in the Garden
The broiler finish
After three hours of low and slow braising, most people would call it done. But the move that makes these short ribs special is pulling the lid off and sliding the Dutch oven under a hot broiler for five minutes at the end. The top of each rib gets hit with that direct heat and develops a caramelized, slightly charred crust while the inside stays impossibly tender and juicy. It adds a whole new layer of flavor and texture that you just don’t get from braising alone. Watch the broiler carefully — you want deep golden brown, not burnt.
How to serve
I love serving these family-style with warm tortillas, a big bowl of beans, and a crisp kohlrabi and cucumber salad that cuts through the richness of the meat perfectly. The cool, crunchy salad against the hot, falling-apart short ribs is one of those combinations that just works. You could also serve this over rice, with roasted sweet potatoes, or honestly just with a thick slice of crusty bread to soak up every last drop of that tomatillo broth.
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On the side:
Warm corn or flour tortillas, pinto or black beans, a shaved kohlrabi and cucumber salad with lime, and pickled red onions.
Print Spicy Tomatillo Braised Short Ribs with Kohlrabi Cucumber Salad
| Prep: 20 | Cook: 195 | Total: 215 |
Fall-off-the-bone beef short ribs braised low and slow in a tangy tomatillo sauce with jalapeños, garlic, lime, and fresh oregano, then finished under the broiler for a caramelized crust. Served with beans and a crisp kohlrabi-cucumber salad that cuts through every bite of richness.
Ingredients
Tomatillo Braised Short Ribs
- 4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and halved
- 2 jalapeños, diced (seeds removed for less heat)
- 1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- Juice of 2 limes
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 large bundle fresh oregano
- 2 bay leaves
For Serving
- Warm corn or flour tortillas
- Cooked pinto or black beans
- Shaved kohlrabi and sliced cucumber, dressed with lime juice and olive oil
Instructions
Sear the Short Ribs
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and position a rack in the lower third.
- Pat the short ribs completely dry with paper towels and season them generously on all sides with salt and pepper. You want to see an even coating of seasoning across every surface.
- Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until the oil shimmers and just barely begins to smoke. Sear the short ribs in batches, pressing them down gently with tongs, until each side develops a deep mahogany crust that resists when you try to lift it, about 4 minutes per side. The kitchen will smell intensely beefy and caramelized. Transfer the seared ribs to a plate and set aside.
Build the Braising Sauce
- Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat from the Dutch oven and reduce the heat to medium. Add the halved tomatillos cut-side down and let them char without moving until the flat sides turn deeply golden and slightly blackened, about 3 minutes. They will hiss and spit when they hit the pan.
- Add the sliced jalapeños, diced onion, and crushed coriander seeds. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent and the jalapeños soften and smell fragrant and slightly sweet, about 5 minutes.
- Add the entire head of garlic cloves and stir for 30 seconds until you can smell them blooming in the heat. Pour in the lime juice and scrape up every caramelized bit from the bottom of the pot. The liquid will bubble aggressively and reduce almost immediately.
- Pour in the beef broth and white wine, stir everything together, and bring the liquid to a steady simmer. The sauce should look loose and brothy with chunks of charred tomatillo throughout.
Braise and Finish
- Nestle the seared short ribs back into the sauce bone-side up so the meat stays submerged. Tuck the bundle of fresh oregano and the bay leaves between the ribs. The liquid should come about three-quarters of the way up the sides of the meat.
- Cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and transfer it to the oven. Braise undisturbed for 3 hours. When you lift the lid, the meat should be pulling away from the bones and a fork should slide through the flesh with almost no resistance. The sauce will have reduced and thickened into something glossy and deeply flavored.
- Remove the oregano bundle and bay leaves. Transfer the ribs to a sheet pan lined with foil. Switch your oven to broil and position the rack about 6 inches from the heating element. Broil the ribs for 4 to 5 minutes, watching constantly, until the tops develop a bubbling, lacquered crust with charred edges that smell smoky and sweet. The surface should look almost candied.
- Spoon the braising sauce over the ribs and serve immediately with warm tortillas, beans, and the kohlrabi cucumber salad on the side. Let everyone build their own plate.
Notes
The short ribs absolutely must be bone-in for this recipe. The bones add body and richness to the braising liquid that boneless cuts simply cannot replicate. Ask your butcher for English-cut short ribs about 2 to 3 inches thick.
You can braise these a full day ahead and they will only get better. Let the ribs cool in the sauce, refrigerate overnight, then skim the solidified fat from the top before reheating. Do the broiler step right before serving so you get that fresh caramelized crust.
If you want more heat, leave the seeds in one or both jalapeños. If you prefer a milder braise, seed them completely and add a squeeze of extra lime at the end to keep the brightness.
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