Piloncillo, available in Latin markets, is made from unrefined sugar and tastes much like brown sugar and molasses. If you cannot find it, substitute ˝ cup dark brown sugar. The sauce has a lot of heat; you may wish to adjust the quantity of chiles accordingly.
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 pounds short ribs
Salt and pepper
˝ medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves
1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
2 chipotle chiles
2 ancho chiles
2 pasilla chiles
1 (32-ounce) can peeled whole tomatoes
2 cups red wine
1 medium-size cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons dry mustard
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 (4-ounce) piece piloncillo
3 cloves
Tortillas
Cilantro, chopped, for garnish
In a large skillet, heat the oil. Season short ribs generously with salt and pepper. Add to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, turning once, until browned and crusty. Transfer the ribs to a large baking pan, in a single layer.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Add the onion and garlic to the same skillet and sauté until onions are browned. Add rosemary and chiles, stirring constantly, until lightly browned. Add the remaining ingredients (excluding tortillas and cilantro) and bring to a boil over high heat.
Pour over the short ribs, cover with foil and bake about 2 ˝ hours, until tender. Remove short ribs from the sauce and allow to cool. Place the sauce in batches in a blender or food processor and puree. When short ribs are cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones and chop into bite-size pieces. Return to sauce and mix well. Serve with tortillas and cilantro garnish. Makes 8 servings.
Per serving: 561 calories ( 41 percent from fat), 25 g fat (9.9 g saturated, 11.2 g monounsaturated), 134mg cholesterol, 45 g protein, 26 g carbohydrates, 1.9 g fiber, 426 mg sodium.
