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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So happy to discover your blog not too long ago. These look so delicious I have been looking forward to making them…. They are in the oven right now and my family says the house smells so good. Question… Did u use fresh oregano? When I first read the recipe I assumed dried but then I noticed you specifically said dried bay leaves and as i was measuring 4 tsp seemed like a lot of dried oregano. I put around 2tsp just in case but I think even that might have been too much. Hopefully it will taste ok and I can get it right next time. Still looking forward to eating it though!! Your recipes look so delicious and I will be trying many others too! Thanks 🙂
Hi Melissa! I am so glad you discovered me too! Yes it is 4 tsp of DRIED oregano but it will taste fine with 2 tsp, don’t worry! It sounds like alot but this is slow cooked and also the other flavours in this are STRONG so it is certainly not overpowered by the oregano. I hope you enjoy it! Boy, I wish I was at your house right now! And thank you for bringing it to my attention, I will update the recipe right now. 🙂
This is such an amazing dish! You made brown food looks so good Nagi! It’s great to see I can cook a great flavor beef dish with such simple ingredients. I seldom see beef ribs in the supermarket there, but will keep an eye on the next time. Pinning!
Thanks so much Maggie! I thought beef ribs were quite common in China? I know a few Chinese beef rib recipes!
I want to be your friend and taste tester. 🙂 What an incredible meal this is. I promise to say nothing about my fingers being a millimeter longer. 🙂
You ARE my friend! And you just need to move a wee bit closer to me so you can be my taste tester. And I’d say your fingers are a few millimetres longer than mine….! 🙂
Another incredible dish, Nagi! Beef short ribs are one of my favorite, and these fall-off-the-bone gems look seriously delicious!
Thanks so much Kathleen!
That dirty rice looks so good! And I’ll have a double serving of those ribs as well!
Thanks Helen!! Double serving, coming right up!
What a beautiful and delicious meal Nagi…I can imagine the meat falling from the bones…and the rice looks amazing…I love cilantro so this rice is calling my name.
Thanks for the recipe…have a wonderful week 🙂
Thank you for your lovely comments Juliana! 🙂
Nagi, holy moly this dish looks amazing!!! WOW! my jaw is on the floor. Seriously. Wow, you make the most beautiful food. and hey, upping the fiery heat is always a good thing in my book. Second time’s a charm I guess?! just gorgeous!
Thanks Alice! 🙂
wow Nagi, your beef ribs makes me hungry, you always make delicious main course, Bravo! 🙂
Thanks Amallia!! 🙂
This looks fabulous Nagi and with ingredients I can find! I saw Peter Kuruvita making fish tacos on one of the morning shows quite a while ago and his food does look amazing but this looks just as good and easier to track down the ingredients.
Thanks Caroline!
Having spent more than 20 years in New Mexico, I have a love of all things chile related. This looks so delicious, and your photos are just lovely. Thank you Nagi!
Thanks so much Tamara! 🙂
How do you do it, Nagi? Every time I pay you a visit I’m drooling all over and feeling hungry, even after I’ve just eaten. I could just dive right into that tray of ribs and go for a long swim. Yum yum!
Thanks Helen! How about skipping the swim and just diving into the ribs? 🙂
I love both the rice and ribs Nagi and so nice that you used easy to find ingredients! I’m sure it tastes awesome, love chipotle peppers in adobo. Pinned to try it! Your pictures amazing!!!
Thanks Mira!! I know, chipotle in adobo is the best. Secret flavour weapon! 🙂
Delicious and beautiful. ove those flavours and colours Nagi
Thank you Tania! I’m sorry I missed you on Saturday night. Hope to arrange another catch up soon! 🙂
Wow… this looks just beautiful! Mouthwatering, and succulent, the perfect Beef Rib Dinner . And the green rice with corn YUM!
Thanks so much Imma!! I knew you would like that rice 🙂 Actually, I got the idea when I saw your green rice!
You crack me up, “I couldn’t find half of the ingredients..” It looks like you knocked it out of the park anyway! And I guarantee that your friends aren’t lying when they say your food is delicious. I’m very jealous that they get to try it!
These ribs and the rice both look incredible!! Love that the meat if fiery with the contrast of rice with cooling, fresh cilantro. Gorgeous!
Thanks so much Marissa!! Glad you find it funny – pretty sure my family are doing eye rolls when they read it, thinking “that’s sooooo Nagi!” 🙂
Nagi these look so delicious!! I will be trying the Mexican Green Rice for sure and the beef ribs as soon as we get our hands on some! I love Peter Kuruvita too 🙂
Thank you Dini!! Peter Kuruvita is a legend. Flying Fish is one of my all time favourite restaurants! 🙂
Holy damn that looks incredible!! I seriously can’t imagine that there’s ever been a better picture taken of juicy delicious ribs. Wow.
Thank you Kristen, you are far to kind! 🙂
Totally drooling over here. Nagi, this beef ribs look so, so good. As soon as I get my hands on some beef ribs, I’m making this dish. And that green rice sounds great. Will probably try that one first. Thanks for awesome recipe!
Thanks Shinee! YES you need to get some beef ribs!! 🙂
I’m liking the rice recipe. My stomach is giving me fits over peppers of any sort, so I probably won’t try the short ribs. 🙁 That’s a real bummer, given how much I like Mexican food, plus living on the border with Mexico.
I’m surprised that you can’t find piloncillo (sugar cones). That should be easy if you have a Mexican grocery. As for kumquats, they are seasonal, as is most citrus. I would tend to look for those in a health food store during your winter. Good luck with those ingredients.
Thank you Susan! Yes, if you have stomach issues at the moment then defiantly stay away from the ribs. And idea to get most of the flavour without the heat is to use more cumin and add around 1 tbsp of paprika powder (the non hot one) and maybe 1/2 tbsp coriander powder. That way you’ll get the rich flavour but without the heat! 🙂 So jealous you live near the border. I am travelling to Mexico at the end of the year and thinking of driving there from Dallas. Do you recommend?
Oh, yes please – Nagi – I love green rice and this version looks fab and those ribs – YUM!
Thanks so much Rachel! 🙂