Espresso coffee and bittersweet chocolate are surprises here but they contribute the nuanced flavors of a Mexican mole. Warm corn tortillas are wonderful to serve alongside. And leftovers make great soft tacos.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 4 hr 5 min |
| Prep: | 50 min |
| Cook: | 3 hr 15 min |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 3 pounds meaty short ribs, with bone
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- One 2-ounce package dried New Mexico chiles (about 8), stemmed, seeded and cut or torn into pieces
- 2 large dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded and cut or torn into pieces
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 large cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 cup beef broth (preferably organic)
- 2 tablespoons dark agave
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso coffee
- One 15- to 16-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- Adobo sauce, from can of chipotle chiles, optional
- Chopped green onions
- Creamy Corn Polenta, recipe follows
- Coarsely grated bittersweet chocolate, such as Lindt
- Garnishes, such as lime wedges, sour cream, chopped cooked bacon, chopped red and/or green jalapenos
- 2 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth (preferably organic)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Kosher salt
- 1 cup polenta (Italian cornmeal) or regular cornmeal
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Arrange the short ribs on a large sheet of foil. Sprinkle all over with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
- Bring the New Mexico chiles, ancho chiles and 1 1/2 cups water to a simmer in a medium saucepan over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the chiles are just tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a blender. Holding the top on firmly, blend until the chile puree is smooth.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the short ribs in batches and brown on all sides, 5 to 6 minutes per batch, transferring the short ribs to a bowl each time.
- Add the garlic and red onions to the drippings in the pot. Saute until the onions soften, about 5 minutes. Mix in the cumin and oregano. Add the chile puree from the blender, the broth, agave, and espresso; stir to blend. Return the short ribs and any juices from the bowl to the pot; stir to coat. Bring to a simmer. Cover and place the pot in the oven. Braise until the ribs are very tender, about 2 hours 30 minutes.
- Tilt the pot. Spoon off and discard any fat that rises to the surface and pools at the lower end. Using tongs, transfer the ribs and any loose bones to a rimmed baking sheet. Carefully cut the membrane off each piece of meat (try to cut away only the membrane and not any meat). Discard the membranes and all bones. Cut the meat into small (scant 1/2-inch) cubes. Return the meat to the sauce in the pot. Mix in the black beans. Season the chili with about 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. If desired, add the adobo sauce by teaspoonfuls to increase the spiciness. Transfer the chili to a large bowl. Sprinkle with the green onions.
- Spoon the Creamy Corn Polenta into deep bowls. Ladle chili over. Sprinkle generously with chocolate. Serve with the garnishes.
- Bring the broth, 2 1/2 cups water, butter and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a heavy, large saucepan over high heat. Gradually whisk in the polenta. Continue to whisk until the polenta begins to thicken, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook until the polenta is very thick and tender, stirring often with a flat-bottom spoon or heatproof rubber spatula to prevent sticking or burning, about 20 minutes. Blend the corn in a mini processor until a coarse puree forms. Stir the corn puree into the polenta. Season with more salt if desired.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 1289 |
| Total Fat | 98 g |
| Saturated Fat | 40 g |
| Carbohydrates | 59 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 11 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Protein | 45 g |
| Cholesterol | 183 mg |
| Sodium | 1407 mg |
Reviews
This is my son’s birthday dinner request every year for the past 5 years it is delicious.
I won FIRST PLACE at my friend’s Christmas party chili cook off with this recipe, and there were 20 contestants! Now, the funny story. After I put this in the oven, I went Christmas shopping with my husband. Added a stop to Home Depot on the way home, which made us late coming home for the chili. I smelled “BURNT” as soon as I came into the kitchen and thought, OH NO!!!! Yup. Burned the chilli in the pot, but the meat was perfectly cooked. So I stripped the meat from the bone, scraped up the sides of burned sauce, looked at the clock and said “I can do this! I will remake the recipe, and just add this meat, and just be a little late to the party.” I felt like I was a contestant on Chopped. Racing the clock, got it done, put it back in the oven with 2 cans of black beans and let it percolate in the oven 30 minutes. Then we went to the party, last entry on the counter sitting in my Le Crousset, instead of the slow cooker lineup, on a single camp stove burner. Success. Everyone loved it, with the polenta on the side in a crockpot and the chocolate shaved on the side. NOW the question. If I remake the recipe, will it taste the same next time?? I will let you know!
Have to add the adobo, but the flavor of the polenta with the chili is incredible. Short ribs fell off the bone. It was perfect!
Didn’t have enough flavor or “umph” to it. We thought it needed more spice.
So much flavor that melts in the mouth.
I made this yesterday and it was delicious. My brother in law said it was the best chili he ever had!
Flavors were spot on with this dish! The sauce part is simply brilliant. Next time I try this, I think I will use a round roast cut up in pieces, not sure I’m a fan of the texture of short ribs. One thing I can say for sure, you have to really like short ribs for this much effort! It’s a time consuming dish for sure! Kind of kicking myself though, I forgot the chocolate on top.
Absolutely delicious!
Of all Giada’s recipes, this is the one I make the most. I have tried it with different meats but there is nothing like the silky soft texture of short ribs. The only thing I do differently is to cook it on the stove top on a very low simmer instead of in the oven. And that’s only because I can’t lift the heavy pot into the oven! I love the richness of this chilly so so much but my husband prefers more beans and a can of tomatoes. So I sometimes do it that way too. When I do, I use Muir Glenn tomatoes with the chipotle peppers added. (sprouts market)
PS- we like it better over a baked potato rather than the polenta. So good with a dollop of sour cream!
A nice change from the usual ground beef chili. I cooked it the day before and reheated, which made it easier to remove excess fat. Due to availability, I substituted California chilis for the New Mexico, which worked out well since we don’t like mouth-on-fire chili. The result? A complex, deep flavor with mellow heat that hit all the right notes. Loved the sweet corn of the polenta paired with the rich beef. A perfect Super Bowl supper!