Short Ribs Braised In Coffee Ancho Chile Sauce

Total Time: 4 hrs 10 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed,seeded,and ribs discarded
• 2 cups boiling-hot water
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo, plus
• 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 6 lbs short rib of beef (or flanken)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup brewed coffee

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 300°f.
• 2 soak ancho chiles in boiling-hot water until softened, about 20 minutes, then drain in a colander set over a bowl.
• 3 taste soaking liquid: it will be a little bitter, but if unpleasantly so, discard it; otherwise, reserve for braising.
• 4 transfer ancho chiles to a blender and purée with onion, garlic, chipotles with sauce, maple syrup, lime juice, and 1 teaspoon salt.
• 5 pat ribs dry and sprinkle with pepper and remaining 2 teaspoons salt.
• 6 heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown ribs in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch.
• 7 transfer as browned to a roasting pan just large enough to hold ribs in 1 layer.
• 8 carefully add chile purée to fat remaining in skillet (use caution, since it will splatter and steam) and cook over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, 5 minutes.
• 9 add reserved chile soaking liquid (or 1 1/2 cups water) and coffee and bring to a boil, then pour over ribs (liquid should come about halfway up sides of meat).
• 10 cover roasting pan tightly with foil and braise ribs in middle of oven until very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
• 11 skim fat from pan juices and serve with ribs.
• 12 cooks' note: ribs improve in flavor if braised 2 days ahead.
• 13 cool, uncovered, then chill, surface covered with parchment paper or wax paper and roasting pan covered with foil.
• 14 remove any solidified fat before reheating.