Slow-Braised Short Ribs with Coffee, Chile and Dark Chocolate

Slow-Braised Short Ribs with Coffee, Chile and Dark Chocolate

This is the project dish: beef short ribs braised for hours in a dark, glossy sauce built from coffee, dried chiles, and a square of bittersweet chocolate. None of the three flavors announces itself; together they add roundness and a long, savory finish. Make it a day ahead if you can, because the flavors deepen and the fat lifts off cleanly when cold.

You need

• 4 pounds (1.8 kg) bone-in beef short ribs, cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) pieces
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup (240 ml) strong brewed coffee
• 2 cups (480 ml) beef stock
• 1 cup (240 ml) dry red wine
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 ounce (30 g) bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), chopped

Method

1. Heat the oven to 300 F (150 C) with a rack in the lower-middle position. Pat the short ribs dry and season all over with 2 teaspoons salt and the pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the ribs in batches, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deep brown with a crust (about 8 to 10 minutes total per batch). Transfer to a plate.
3. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Lower the heat to medium, add the onions, and cook 8 to 10 minutes until soft and golden at the edges. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
4. Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, and cumin and cook 2 minutes, until the paste darkens to brick red and smells sweet.
5. Cover the chiles with 1 cup of hot water and let sit 10 minutes to soften. Drain, then blend the chiles with the coffee until smooth.
6. Deglaze the pot with the red wine, scraping up the browned bits, and simmer 3 minutes. Add the chile-coffee mixture, beef stock, brown sugar, and vinegar. Return the ribs and any juices to the pot, meat side down, so the liquid comes about two-thirds of the way up the meat.
7. Bring to a bare simmer on the stove, cover tightly, and transfer to the oven. Braise 3 to 3.5 hours, turning the ribs once halfway, until a fork slides into the meat with almost no resistance.
8. Move the ribs to a platter and cover loosely with foil. Skim the fat from the surface of the braising liquid. Simmer the liquid on the stove over medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until it coats the back of a spoon and tastes concentrated.
9. Stir the chopped chocolate into the sauce off the heat until melted and glossy. Taste and adjust with salt and vinegar. Return the ribs to the sauce to warm for 2 minutes, then serve with the sauce spooned over the top.