Braised Short Ribs

Total Time: 48 mins Preparation Time: 3 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 1/4 ounces dried ancho chiles (3 to 4 medium)
• 2 cups boiling-hot water
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo, plus
• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons molasses (not robust or blackstrap)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 1/3 cups cold water, divided
• 5 lbs beef short ribs
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 lb sliced bacon, chopped
• 1 (3 inch) cinnamon sticks

Recipe

• 1 .make chile purée:.
• 2 wipe anchos clean, then stem and seed. discard ribs and tear anchos into pieces.
• 3 soak anchos in boiling-hot water until softened, about 20 minutes. transfer anchos to a blender, reserving soaking liquid.
• 4 purée anchos with onion, garlic, chipotles with sauce, tomato paste, molasses, cumin, cloves, 1/3 cup water, and 1 tsp salt.
• 5 braise short ribs:.
• 6 pat ribs dry and season with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper (total). heat oil in a wide 6- to 8-qt heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. brown ribs in batches, about 6 minutes per batch. transfer as browned to a platter. discard fat from pot.
• 7 preheat oven to 350°f with rack in middle.
• 8 cook bacon in pot over medium heat until browned, then transfer with a slotted spoon to platter.
• 9 stir chile purée into fat in pot (it may spatter). cook, stirring frequently, 6 minutes. stir in reserved chile-soaking liquid, remaining 2 cups water, and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. return ribs and bacon to pot and braise, covered, in oven until ribs are very tender, 3 to 3 1/4 hours. skim fat from sauce.