Beef Short Rib Tacos

PRODUCT ALLERGENS: Wheat

RECIPE ALLERGENS: Wheat, allium

DIETARY NOTES: Vegan, egg-free, diary free; not gluten-free

INGREDIENTS:

Barbacoa Sauce

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 each red onion, chopped fine

3 each poblano peppers, chopped fine

1½ teaspoons Kosher salt

2½ tablespoons minced garlic (about 8 cloves)

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

2 Bay leaves

 1¼ cups vegetable broth

4 each chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped (about 1/3 cup)

¼ cup lime juice

 ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Salsa Verde

2 tomatillos, husked and quartered

2 jalapeños, stemmed, halved lengthwise, and seeded

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

½ teaspoon Kosher salt

1 yellow onion, chopped fine

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons lime juice (1 lime)

Tacos and toppings

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 cups thawed thawed Tender™ Beef Short Rib

4 corn tortillas

Thinly sliced radishes

Thinly sliced avocado

Chopped tomatoes

Chopped red onion

Cilantro leaves

Vegan sour cream

Lime wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

If you can’t find poblano peppers for the Barbacoa sauce, Anaheim peppers are a great substitute. Use canned tomatillos if you cannot find fresh ones. If you don’t have a gas range to toast the tortillas, wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and place in low oven (~300°F) for 10-15 minutes until heated through. We also like making this vegetarian using Cotija cheese in place of vegan sour cream.

1. For the Barbacoa Sauce: Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add red onion, poblanos, and salt, and cook until softened and beginning to brown, about 8 minutes, stirring frequently.

2. Stir in garlic, cumin, oregano, cloves and bay, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, chipotle in adobo, and lime juice, using wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits of fond that may have accumulated on bottom of pot. Bring to simmer, and reduce heat to medium.

3. Continue to simmer, uncovered, about 30 minutes until slightly reduced. Remove from heat.

4. Meanwhile, set fine mesh sieve over sauce pot. Place cornstarch in small bowl. Add cider vinegar and using fork, whisk until combined. Set aside.

5. Working in small batches, ladle vegetables and broth into carafe of blender. Blend on high for about 1 minute, until smooth. Transfer mixture to sieve and strain, using rubber spatula to press on contents in sieve to extract as much sauce from solids. Repeat as necessary.

6. Bring strained mixture to simmer over medium-high heat. Re-whisk vinegar-cornstarch slurry and stir into pot. Continue to cook until sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Season to taste and set aside.

7. For the Salsa Verde: Toss tomatillos and jalapeños with oil and ½ teaspoon Kosher salt on rimmed baking sheet and broil until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.

8. Meanwhile, in medium-sized bowl, combine onion, garlic, cilantro and lime juice. Roughly chop roasted tomatillos and jalapenos, and add to bowl. Stir together and season to taste.

9. For the tacos and toppings: Heat oil in non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add beef to skillet; cook without stirring, until browned on underside, 3-5 mins.

10. Flip in sections with spatula; continue to cook without stirring, until browned on second side, 3-5 mins. more. Transfer beef to bowl and combine with Barbacoa sauce to taste.

11. Lightly toast tortillas over gas range until lightly charred and pliable, transferring to dishtowel to keep warm. Distribute sauced short rib, Salsa Verde, and your choice of toppings evenly among tortillas, passing extra Barbacoa sauce as needed.