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Short Ribs With Piri-Piri Marinade

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Photograph by Joshua Kissi, food styling by Roscoe Betsill, prop styling by Amy Wilson

This dish coaxes its flavor out of the piri-piri sauce, which is popular in South Africa and Portuguese-speaking Africa, in two different ways: first as a tenderizing marinade, which caramelizes in the skillet as it cooks, and then as a finishing sauce, where it adds a bright, acidic note. You may associate short ribs with slow-cooked preparations, but this recipe is a testament to how tender and flavorful they can be when cooked like a steak. If you can’t find boneless short ribs, a New York strip steak will work here as well.

This recipe was adapted from ‘The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food.’

Recipe information

  • Yield

    8 Servings

Ingredients

Marinade

2 large shallots, coarsely chopped
8 garlic cloves, peeled
2 Scotch bonnet chiles, stemsremoved
1 2" piece ginger, peeled, coarsely chopped
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup vegetable oil
4 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt

Short Ribs and Assembly

¼ cup sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
¼ cup honey
¼ cup plus 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
3 lb. boneless beef short ribs

Preparation

  1. Marinade

    Step 1

    Pulse shallots, garlic, chiles, and ginger in a food processor until very finely chopped. (Alternatively, pound into a coarse paste with a mortar and pestle if you have one.) Transfer marinade to a medium bowl and stir in lemon juice, oil, paprika, and salt to combine.

    Do ahead: Marinade can be made 1 month ahead. Cover and chill.

  2. Short Ribs and Assembly

    Step 2

    Mix vinegar, honey, ¼ cup oil, and half of marinade in a small bowl to combine; season with salt and pepper. Set piri-piri sauce aside for serving.

    Step 3

    Brush or rub each side of short ribs with remaining marinade and place in a shallow baking dish or large resealable plastic bag; cover with plastic wrap or close bag. Let chill at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.

    Step 4

    Remove short ribs from marinade and scrape some of the marinade from surface. Let sit at room temperature at least 1 hour before cooking.

    Step 5

    Heat a dry large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Coat short ribs all over with remaining 3 Tbsp. oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook short ribs, turning every 3–4 minutes, until deeply charred on all sides and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of meat registers 130° for medium-rare, 13–16 minutes total. Transfer short ribs to a cutting board and let rest at least 10 minutes.

    Step 6

    Slice meat against the grain ¼"–½" thick and serve with piri-piri sauce.

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