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Short Rib Chili

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5 from 11 reviews

The perfect lazy Sunday afternoon recipe, this beef short rib chili is loaded with beans and veggies but also tender, fall-off-the-bone shredded short ribs.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1.5 pounds beef short ribs
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 1 green pepper, diced
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 23 teaspoons diced chiles in adobo, (adjust based on spice preference)
  • 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 oz.) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 oz.) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 28 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 12 cups tomato juice, adjust based on preferred thickness
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • Kosher salt
  • fresh cracked pepper

Serve with: 

  • sour cream
  • shredded cheddar cheese
  • tortilla strips
  • sliced green onion

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Season short ribs with salt and pepper on both side. 
  2. Sear short ribs in batches, adding more oil as needed. Cook ribs on each side for 2-3 minutes or until a dark golden brown crust forms. Set ribs aside. 
  3. Reduce heat to medium and add onions and green pepper to the pot (without wiping it out) along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  4.  Add garlic and jalapeno and sauté for another minute. 
  5. Add chili powder, cumin, chiles in adobo, wocestershire sauce, cocoa powder, sugar, beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato juice and another pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine. 
  6. Nestle the short ribs back into the chili. Turn the heat up and bring to a simmer. 
  7. Cover and simmer over low heat for 2.5-3 hours or until the short ribs are tender and fall apart easily.  
  8. Remove ribs from chili. Use two forks to shred beef. Discard bones and gristle.
  9.  Transfer shredded beef back into the chili and stir to combine. Stir in apple cider vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper. 
  10. Serve with sour cream, cheddar cheese, tortilla strips and sliced green onions. 

Equipment

Notes

Be sure to taste the chili and season as needed. Don’t wait until the end to taste your food. I like to taste this chili after an hour or two of simmering and add a little more salt, maybe a pinch of sugar or even a little cayenne pepper. Then taste it again at the end and season a bit more.

Adjust the flavors to your family’s tastes. If they don’t like spice, omit the chiles in adobo. If they don’t like kidney beans, add more pinto beans instead. If they love cilantro, add a tablespoon of fresh chopped cilantro in there! This recipe is just a blueprint – use it as such!

If you’re feeling adventurous add a couple teaspoons of brewed coffee or espresso powder to your chili! You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the depth of flavor that it adds!

Don’t skip the apple cider vinegar at the end! It’s going to amplify all the flavors SO MUCH. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can use white wine vinegar, red white vinegar, white balsamic vinegar or regular balsamic vinegar.