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.