Short Rib Tacos With Cilantro-Lime Slaw
by Sohla El-Waylly
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
You have 2 of 15
produce
- ○1 cupcilantro leaves(lightly packed, with tender stems)
- ✓5 clovesgarlic(unpeeled)
- ○2-3chipotle chiles in adobo(canned)
- ✓1 largered onion
- ○1lime
- ○1avocado
- ○1/2 medium headcabbage
protein
- ○1 1/2 lbbeef short ribs(boneless, preferably 1" thick)
grain
- ○10-14 smalltortillas
pantry staple
- ○vegetable oil
- ○1/2 tspground black pepper(freshly ground)
- ○1 Tbspadobo sauce
- ○1/3 cupdark brown sugar(packed)
- ○2 Tbspdistilled white vinegar
- ○3 1/2 tspkosher salt(divided)
Instructions
- Cut ½ medium head of cabbage in half lengthwise and remove core; discard. Slice cabbage crosswise into very thin strips. Transfer to a large bowl and sprinkle with ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. (heaping) Morton kosher salt. Massage gently with your hands to soften cabbage. Set aside.
- Toast 5 unpeeled garlic cloves in a dry small skillet over medium-high heat until skins are deeply charred, 5–7 minutes. Let cool, peel garlic, and place in blender with 2–3 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, 1 Tbsp. adobo sauce, ⅓ cup dark brown sugar, 2 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. (heaping) Morton kosher salt, ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, and ½ cup water. Blend until smooth. Transfer salsa to a small bowl.
- Prepare a grill for medium heat. Clean and oil grate. Season 1½ lb. boneless beef short ribs with remaining 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt; drizzle with vegetable oil. Grill, rotating every minute, until exterior is browned and thermometer registers 120°, 7–12 minutes. Brush ribs with salsa, grill until shiny and glazed, thermometer registers 130°, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 20 minutes.
- If you don’t have a grill, heat 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Season 1½ lb. boneless beef short ribs with remaining 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Cook, turning every minute, until exterior is browned and thermometer registers 125°, 5–10 minutes. Brush with salsa and cook until glaze darkens, about 15 seconds per side. Repeat with another layer of salsa. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 20 minutes.
- While the meat is resting, prepare the garnishes. Cut 1 large red onion in half through the root and remove skin. Slice into ½"-thick wedges. Grill onion wedges until charred, about 2 minutes per side. Trim root and arrange on a platter. Cut 1 lime in half, squeeze juice into cabbage. Add 1 cup cilantro leaves to slaw and toss to combine. Slice 1 avocado.
My notes
Short ribs aren’t just for braising. Boneless short ribs can be grilled like steak. A 20-minute rest is ideal for keeping them juicy.