prep time: 10 minutes
•
cook time: 4½ hours
•
yield: 12 servings
prep time: 10 minutes
•
cook time: 4½ hours
•
yield: 12 servings
1 pound bone-in short ribs
1 (26-ounce) box diced tomatoes with juices, or 3 tomatoes, chopped, with juices
1 cup tomato sauce
¼ cup chopped onions
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 green chiles, chopped
½ cup beef bone broth, homemade ( see here ) or store-bought
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
4 slices bacon, diced
1 pound 80% lean ground beef
1 pound Mexican-style fresh (raw) chorizo, removed from casings
for garnish:
Sliced green onions
Chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges
1. Place the short ribs in a 4-quart (or larger) slow cooker. Pour in the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Add the onions, red bell pepper, chiles, and beef broth. Season with the garlic, chili powder, oregano, cumin, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine, then cover. Cook on low until the meat is falling off the bone, about 4 hours.
2. When the ribs are nearly done, cook the rest of the meat on the stovetop: Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Fry the diced bacon in the pan until crispy, then remove the bacon from the pan and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan. Crumble the ground beef and chorizo into the hot pan and cook until evenly browned. Remove the pan from the heat.
3. When the ribs are done, remove them from the slow cooker and place them in a large bowl or casserole dish (to catch the juices as you work). Remove the meat from the bones, discard the bones, then shred the meat using two forks. Return the shredded meat and any juices to the slow cooker. Add the ground beef, chorizo, and bacon. Cover and cook on low for at least 20 minutes, then taste and add more salt, pepper, or chili powder, if desired. The longer the stew simmers, the better it will taste.
4. Serve garnished with sliced green onions and chopped cilantro, with lime wedges on the side. Store extras in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
tip: When using a slow cooker, do not be tempted to stir! Every time you remove the lid, you add about 20 minutes to the cooking time because you are releasing a lot of heat and moisture.
