This was meant to be a recipe by a famous Australian chef / restauranteur – Peter Kuruvita, owner of Flying Fish and Noosa Beach House. I couldn’t find half the ingredients. So it ended up nothing like the original recipe. But it’s SO yummy and you can get everything you need at the grocery store! Note: there’s two recipes in here! One for the ribs, and another for the Green Mexican Rice.
I was corresponding with my friend Maureen from the Orgasmic Chef (pop over to follow her search for food that’s better than….well….you know….!). It was on a completely unrelated matter, but I happened to mention a recipe I wanted to make that day.
“I was reading your review of Noosa Beach House,” I wrote. “It inspired me to try out a recipe by Peter Kuruvita. I have some short ribs in the freezer, so I’m going to make these Mexican Braised Beef Short Ribs!”
“That looks fantastic. But where will you find cumquats and piloncillo?”, she asked.
“Oh, I won’t be be using those in this,” I said breezily. “You know me. I’ll make do. Put my own spin on it.”
I also didn’t have pinole or ancho chiles. So actually, this is nothing like the recipe I intended to make, but it turned out really delicious.
Being a dish I just made up on the fly, I thought I had better get friends to taste test it the next day. They approved, BUT I actually got constructive feedback!! (Rarely happens, my friends usually just say everything I make is yummy – liars!!). They loved the flavour and texture of the beef but thought it needed more kick.
So the next batch I made, I upped the fiery heat in it. Very happy with the outcome. 🙂
The base flavouring in this is Chipotle in Adobo Sauce (dried chilies in a spicy red sauce). It is to Mexican food what oyster sauce is to Asian food – just a dollop of it adds a wack of flavour that has depth (as opposed to, for example, soy sauce which is a fairly flat flavour).
I served this with Green Mexican Rice and I’ve provided the recipe for this below as well. Bright green rice with pops of yellow accompanied with fall apart beef ribs smothered in a thick, crimson sauce. Sights like that make me smile. 🙂
– Nagi
More rib recipes
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Fiery Fall Apart Mexican Beef Ribs
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Chipotles in Adobo - chipotles and sauce (about half a 220g/7oz can) (Note 1)
- 28 oz / 800g can crushed tomato (or tomato passata / tomato puree)
- 2.4 kg beef short ribs , bone in (around 8 pieces, 10oz/300g each) (Note 2)
- 1 tbsp salt , separated
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 large onion , diced
- 1 tbsp cumin powder
- 3 dried bay leaves (or 5 fresh)
- 4 tsp dried oregano
- 2 oranges (or 1 cup orange juice)
Garnishes
- Fresh coriander/cilantro leaves
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C with the shelf in the middle.
- Puree the Chipotles in Adobo with the canned tomato ("Chipotle Puree"). (Note 3)
- Pat the beef dry with a paper towel, then season with 1/2 tbsp salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a heavy based large fry pan over high heat. Add the beef in batches and sear on all sides until nicely browned, but not cooked through (about 4 minutes in total). Remove into a roasting dish (preferably one with a lid)
- If the pan is looking dry, add a splash of oil. Add the garlic and sauté for 15 seconds, then add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until the onion is starting to brown.
- Add the Chipotle Puree and all the remaining ingredients into the pan (including the remaining 1/2 tbsp salt). Bring to simmer and scrape the bottom of the pan to mix all the brown bits into the liquid. Cook for 1 minute.
- Pour the liquid into the roasting dish over the ribs.
- Cover with lid (or with foil - use a double layer) and bake in the oven for 1 1/2 hours.
- Remove lid/foil, then return to oven for a further 45 minutes to 1 hour until the beef is "fall apart" and the sauce has thickened and darkened.
- Let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves, then serve with lime wedges on the side.
- I served this with Mexican Green Rice with Corn (recipe below). This would also be great for tacos, burritos, on mashed potato.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
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Green Mexican Rice (Coriander/Cilantro Rice - Arroz Verde)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (packed) coriander/cilantro (mainly leaves, some stalk)
- 1 cup tightly packed fresh spinach leaves OR 1/3 cup thawed frozen spinach , squeezed of excess water
- 1 1/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 1/2 cups long grain rice , uncooked (Note 1)
- 2 cups frozen corn (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Place coriander/cilantro, spinach and broth in a food processor and whizz until pureed.
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add rice and stir until the grains become translucent and are coated in oil. Add corn, contents of the food processor and remaining ingredients. Stir until combined.
- Cover the pot. When it starts to simmer, turn the heat down to low and cook for 20 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Remove from the stove and let stand for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
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Hi Nagi,
Thank you for this recipe – have made this twice and both times everyone has loved it!!
Just wondering – how do you get the rice to be as fluffy as yours? Mine is usually a little mushy. I’ve tried both on the stovetope and in my rice cooker – same results both times.
Also, do you wash the rice before cooking?
Hi Carolyn, I’m so glad you love the ribs! I don’d wash my rice before cooking – can I ask which type of rice you’re using? Sounds like there may be slightly too much liquid or its slightly overcooked if it’s mushy ❤️
Thanks for getting back to me Nagi!
I’ve been using Jasmine rice.
Could you cook this in a slow cooker.
Hi Angie, at step 7 you could put in the slow cooker and cook until tender – I’d say maybe 4-5 hours on high (just check they are tender), you can then reduce the sauce on the stove rather then the oven.
Hey, Nagi. I have a few questions… Where does the milk come into play in the rice recipe? Also, can I make the rice recipe with already cooked rice? Meaning, can I make the sauce and stir it in with come corn? Thank you.
Can I ask what the orange is for? I see it in the ingredients, but not in the directions. Maybe I am misunderstanding something?
Hi Rachel, you add it along with the remaining ingredients – point 6 🙂
I was wondering the same. Is it just the juice of 2 oranges or the whole orange?
I’m thinking of making this over the weekend! I was wondering if you have any substitutes for the coriander in the green rice? I am one of those people who despises coriander. I was thinking maybe I could just leave it out or sub in some green onions and maybe cut down on the other onions in it (realising this will change the flavour a bit!). Any ideas? Thanks so much, I always love your recipes!
I would use parsley for the colour!! N x
Made this and it was a huge hit, couldn’t get short ribs so I used spare ribs and cooked for 4 hours instead of 2.5. Will definitely try the green Mexican rice next.
That’s terrific to hear Sonja! Glad you enjoyed this! N x
Hi Nagi,
Do you think this recipe could be adapted to a slow cooker or pressure cooker rather than an oven?
Excited to try it this weekend.
Jeremy.
Hi Nagi, just want to thank you for this wonderful recipe. The ribs has become my husband’s fave food and I’ve made it about a dozen times already. Keep up the good work!
Hi Nagi! Just want to ask. If I want to bump up the spiciness level of the ribs, do I just add more chipotle? Probably 1/4 cup more? Have you tried this and is it advisable to do so? Me and my sister really enjoy a bit of heat like the ones on buffalo wings. Thanks!
Here in Mexico to add heat to a dish like this we use Chile de árbol. It’s a small dried red chile and would go in with the chipotles. Very spicy.
Yum!
Hi Chino! Yup add more chipotles from the can, that’s where the heat is, some in the sauce too 🙂 Stick your finger in to do a taste test and add more later if you want! N x
Hi Nagi, I made these ribs and the green rice last weekend. They were both just so good. The ribs were extremely easy, I made them the day before, and skimmed off the fat after refrigerating them overnight. You are right about the spice level, they were very spicy on the day I made them, but that mellowed by the next day – next time I am going to make it a bit spicier to start with if I make the ribs the day before. The rice was just incredibly tasty – probably the best rice I have ever tasted. I served the ribs with a simple salsa and a coriander yogurt. Thank you for your wonderful recipes.
That’s so terrific Erin! I’m so pleased to hear that, thanks for sharing your feedback! N x ❤️
Hi！I live in the Philippines and the Chipotles in Adobo sauce is not available in market. By any chance you have other alternatives for this? Thanks!
Hi Cathryn! Hmm, let me think. OK, you know what? The Adobo sauce flavour is actually quite similar to sriracha except for the smokiness of the chilli. If you can find some kind of smoked chillies – dried or fresh or even powder, then if you use say 1/3 cup of sriracha plus some of that smoked chili, you’ll get a fairly similar flavour. Can you find chipotle powder?? That would definitely do the trick! I’d use 2 tbsp + 1/3 cup of sriracha. 🙂
Hi Nagi
Thank you so much for your recipes !!! I have tried them and they are definitely crowd pleasers! I just moved to Australia 2 months ago and couldn’t find Beef Short Ribs in either Woolies/Coles. Where do you get yours from? A Butcher? I have cooked another ribs recipe but i used Beef SPARE Ribs which is too fatty and less meaty to my liking, are they even the same thing? I remember back in Indonesia the one I always used was Beef Short Ribs.
This is the one i bought from Woolies:
https://kathdedon.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/short-ribs.jpg
This is Beef Short Ribs I think you use in this recipe?
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSiCK3f2VIBU151gLTt-M713QTERO0AD7tYIM-YdPGGD7aqJ4lh
Sorry for long question 😀
Hi Syafira! Actually, I get my ribs from a butcher 🙂 I’ve never seen them in Coles or Woolies but they do sell them at Harris Farms so I get them from there sometimes! Yes those ribs in the photos are the ones I used. 🙂 Don’t apologise for long question! Beef short ribs aren’t that common here in Aus so I totally understand! N xx
Hi Nagi,
I tred this recipe for the first time today and it was excellent.
Having started my life in the Southwest of the US I am not so sensitive to spicy heat. So I used the whole can of Chipotles and added two more cloves of Garlic. Did I mention I was slightly Crazy? ? I also used Mexican Oregano because I had it in the cupboard. I used a Dutch Oven to braise the ribs .
When I tatsted the sauce before placing the pot into the oven I began wondering if doubling the Chipotles was a good idea. However the braising process and the sweetness from the orange mellowed the heat. I was pleasantly surprised at the brightness the fresh Orange juice added to the sauce. I could even still taste a hint of the Orange in the sauce at the end of the cooking process. I am now considering adding the juice of a third orange next time, but add it before the last half hour of cooking.
The store I bought the ribs from, had pre-cut them and trimmed them of most, but not all of the fat. As a result the 2.3 kilos (~4.98 lbs) of beef short ribs was spread out across thirteen pieces. After one and a half hours the bones were already falling away from the the meat and the sauce was beginning to thicken. I left the pot covered and stopped the cooking process thirty minutes later, for a total cook time of two hours.
Next time I may cook this dish at an oven temperature of 150C (300F) because the Dutch Oven provides a greater surface area to heat the braising liquid. That and the smaller size of the ribs most likely contributed to the quicker cooking time.
Anyway thanks for posting this recipe. Oh please give Dozer a treat for me!
Regards,
Mike
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it Mike! Thank you for coming back to let me know. 🙂 And I just gave Dozer a piece of cheese from you!!! (Honestly, cheese is probably his all time most favourite treat!!) N x
Hi Nagi, a couple of questions – the beef ribs I’ve just got from my butcher are massive (aprox 450-500g each). Should I adjust the cooking time do you think? Also, I am cooking for 12 so do you think the rice would still cook ok if I just do double the quantity? Or maybe 1.5? I’ve made both the ribs & rice a few time before, but just with your quantities and I really don’t want to mess it up! This recipe is one of our faves – such incredible flavours. We love it!!
Hi Andrea! Maybe add 15 minutes or so? It shouldn’t be too much longer, I’ve made them using larger ribs too. And yes the rice is fine to double. I think 1 1/2 would be enough but it will be easier to double the recipe than try to calculate 1.5!
Forgot to give 5 stars!!
❤️
Hi Nagi,
This is the third recipe of yours I’ve tried and it’s yet another delicious dish!! Yum yum yum!! I was practically salivating when I saw beef ribs at Coles!
Yay!! I am so glad you loved this Evangeline and I’m so glad you are enjoying my other recipes, thank you for letting me know! N xx
Nagi, what is the egg-roll-looking thing in your picture here? 🙂
Hi Judith!!! I was wondering what on earth you were referring to….it’s the BONE!!! The bone from the beef ribs!!!
Nagi, what is the eggroll-looking thing in your picture? 🙂
Could I use a beef roast cut instead of beef ribs? BTW, all of your recipes are AMAZING and no fail! Thank you so much!
Thanks for your kind words Vanessa! Unfortunately I haven’t tried this with beef roast yet 🙂 I’ll let you know if I do!
I made this today with Beef Roast, about 2.75 lbs. Cut it into 6 large pieces and seared those, then baked it at 325 for 90 minutes, then turned down the oven to 300 for about 30 minutes, then turned it down to 275 and left it for another half an hour. It was AMAZING. Thank you so much for the base recipie
YAY! So glad you loved it Vanessa!!! 🙂
Hi Nagi!
I’m trying this one tonight but just a quick question – I assume this is cooked at 180 fan forced? Could it possibly be done in a slow cooker?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Vanessa! Yes, I use fan forced. I’m sure it can be done in a slow cooker – I think 8 hours on low would be about right! I hope you love it. The flavour is seriously awesome!