Grab your favorite roasty stout and head for the kitchen to try the recipe for these hearty short ribs with green chile-spiked mashed potatoes.
Active preparation time: 35 minutes
Total time: 3½ hours
Serves: 3–4
Short Ribs
¼ cup (59 ml) vegetable oil
5 lb (2.3 kg) bone-in short ribs
Salt and pepper
3 carrots, medium dice
3 celery stalks, medium chop
2 yellow onions, large dice
5 sprigs fresh thyme
3 spring fresh rosemary
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup (237 ml) tomato paste
24 fl oz (710 ml) stout
4 cup (946 ml) beef broth
3 bay leaves
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). While waiting, in a medium rondeau pot or Dutch oven over medium-to-high heat, heat the vegetable oil. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper and place them in the hot rondeau. Sear the short ribs until browned on all sides, then remove and set aside.
Add the carrots, celery, onions, thyme, and rosemary to the hot rondeau. Cook until the carrots and onions have caramelized and have color. Add the flour and stir until completely incorporated, then add the tomato paste and mix well. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly until all the ingredients all well coated. Add the stout. Mix to incorporate all the flavors and ingredients, then add the browned short ribs, beef broth, and bay leaves. Bring the ingredients to a boil, then reduce the heat to a steady simmer. Cover the rondeau with foil and place in the preheated oven. Cook until very tender (about 3 hours).
Remove the rondeau from the oven. Remove the ribs from the sauce to a warm bowl and cover to keep warm. Strain the sauce, season it to taste with salt and pepper, and set it aside for serving.
Green-Chile Mash
6 Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and cut into chunks)
3 Tbs kosher salt, divided
½ cup canned diced green chiles
½ lb (227 g) unsalted butter
2 cup (473 ml) heavy cream
1 Tbs cumin
When the ribs have about half an hour left, in a medium pot, combine the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt. Cover the potatoes with cold water and turn on the heat to medium.
In a separate small pot over medium-high heat, combine the green chiles and butter. Once the butter and chiles are simmering, add the heavy cream and turn the heat to low. Be mindful to not let the mixture simmer over.
Once the potatoes are soft to the touch, strain them to the point that the potatoes have white edges (the white edges indicate that most of the moisture has been withdrawn). Strain the green chiles from the cream mixture and combine them with the potatoes in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl. With the paddle attachment or a hand-held mixer, mix the potatoes and chiles, then slowly incorporate the cream mixture until the potatoes are smooth. Add the cumin and the remaining salt or to taste.
Plate the short ribs over the green-chile mash and cover with the reserved sauce.
Beer Suggestions: For a bit of heat, try Copper Kettle Mexican Chocolate Stout (Denver, Colorado). For more mellow roasty notes, try Victory Storm King (Downington, Pennsylvania), Oskar Blues Ten Fidy (Longmont, Colorado), or Deschutes Obsidian Stout (Bend, Oregon).
PHOTO: MATT GRAVES