The Missing Rib

Beer Braised Short Ribs with Ancho Pepper BBQ Sauce

What to do when you have a gang of hungry guys to feed and quiche just won’t do? Go see your butcher, ask for beef short ribs, pick up a 6 pack (or 12 or two-four) of dark beer, come home and slow cook the ribs in the beer and a mélange of other yummies. It will be a hit, guaranteed. That's what I did the other day and it worked out just fine...except for the sauce...which is why you won't be getting a recipe.....yet.

I went with an idea I had to make a chunky BBQ sauce with Ancho chilies (see below), a dark spicy beer and some blackened onions and tomatoes, but it ended up WAY too spicy-- full of flavor, but too overpoweringly hot for the beef. So I kept adding stuff-can’t remember half of it-and ended up with a deliciously seductive sauce... but which I would be hard pressed to duplicate. Snap! Sorry folks. We sure enjoyed it, but you won't be able to duplicate it in your own home until I work out the kinks. For one, LESS ancho peppers!

Here I am checking to see if the ribs are fall-of-the-bone tender yet. Don't be shy to cook these at home using a simple braise method. I know, the word 'ribs' conjures up a memory of dry, sticky, chewy bar food, but if you pick cuts that have plenty of fat marbling in the meat and cook them, covered in liquid, for several hours, you will be suprised to how they melt in your mouth. Good thing we like them, because we have 2 quarts of my BBQ sauce left over....

Note: If you are not familiar with ancho peppers, they are dried poblano peppers, moderately hot, and used prolifically in Mexican cuisine. They are essential to make the wonderful Molé.