Spicy, smokey and fragrant, these chipotle beef short ribs are full of flavour and perfect for a winters night. Short ribs are very rewarding when cooked, low and slow. This is a very meaty dish, you can truly taste the short ribs. Which means purchasing quality is important to the overall result. I buy our free range short ribs from Westmere Butchery, where the butchers are chatty and the service is fantastic. They source quality from farms New Zealand wide and often have the more unusual cuts that standard supermarkets don’t stock. Seek out a good butcher and you will be rewarded tenfold with quality food, wonderful service and because they know, top notch advice.
These chipotle beef short ribs are also a beautiful way to feed a crowd. A big pot with lots of sides is a lovely way to kick off a weekend in watching the rugby or with a film night. The richness of the beef is given an umami kick from the black beans and the smokey chipotles. Both flavours are then balanced with a burst of citrus from the orange. If you are planning to make these midweek, the slow cooker would be the most convenient way. So rather than putting these in the oven, I would sear them and then place everything in the slow cooker, halving the amount of liquid. Turn on low and leave it to cook away for 8 hours or more. The smell when you come home from work is utterly divine.
I love this served on hot steamy rice, but an olive oil potato mash would also be lovely; a pile of green veggies helps round out the meal.
