Estate Dinners
Short Rib-Stuffed Poblano Peppers
The Strategy:
We are taking the deep, complex richness of a classic red wine short rib braise and using it to elevate a vibrant, roasted poblano pepper. The slow, six-hour braise ensures the beef yields completely, soaking up the smoky chipotle and warm cinnamon notes. When you stuff that impossibly tender, shredded meat into a blistered, earthy poblano and blanket it in melted queso blanco and sharp cheddar, you create a dish that balances profound, slow-cooked elegance with a lively, spirited kick.
Ingredients
- 8 beef short ribs, about 3 to 4 pounds (choose ribs that are thick and meaty)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup (or more) unbleached all-purpose flour for dredging
- 1 large red onion, diced, about 1 cup
- 2 large carrots, diced, about 1 cup
- 2 celery ribs, diced, about 1 cup
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced, about ¼ cup
- 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and deveined, diced, about 2 tablespoons
- 1 750 mL bottle red wine
- 1 quart beef stock
- 1 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup chili sauce
- 1 large chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, seeded and diced, about 2 tablespoons
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 10 to 12 large poblano peppers (you can substitute with Anaheim or bell peppers)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup prepared enchilada sauce
- 4 ounces queso blanco cheese, grated
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 250°.
- Season the ribs with chili powder, salt, and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven (or large roasting pan) over medium-high.
- Dredge each rib in flour, shaking off the excess.
- Place into the hot oil and brown, about 1 minute for each side. Transfer the ribs to a platter.
- Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and jalapeño to the pan. Cook until the veggies are soft.
- Pour in the wine and beef stock. Stir in the tomato paste and chili sauce. Bring the liquid to a boil.
- Return the ribs and any juices on the platter to the pan.
- Nestle the cinnamon sticks in the sauce.
- Cover the Dutch oven with the lid (or cover with aluminum foil), place the pan in the oven, and cook until the meat is tender and pulling away from the bone, about 6 to 7 hours.
- Remove the pan from the oven and take off the cover. Pull the meat off the bones and shred. Add the meat to a large bowl, spoon the leftover liquid over the meat, and toss to combine.
- Preheat your oven to 350°.
- Make a cut down one side of each pepper, leaving the stems intact. Gently pull open the pepper to remove the seeds and ribs.
- Place the peppers in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil on the inside and out. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bake until the peppers just begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven, and remove the peppers from the pan.
- Pour enchilada sauce in the bottom of the pan.
- Add some of the shredded queso blanco cheese to each pepper. Spoon some of the short rib meat into each pepper, filling each one with as much meat as can fit.
- Add the peppers back to the pan and top with cheddar cheese.
- Place back in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the beef is warmed through, about 20 minutes.
The full recipe lives in the Vault
Ingredients, step-by-step method, and every chef-tested detail are reserved for members of the Estate Registry.
Join the Estate Registry
The Heart of the Table
There is a profound sense of abundance when serving stuffed peppers. It transforms a humble vegetable into a personal, generous vessel of flavor. Presenting a massive platter of these beautifully blistered poblanos, overflowing with dark, rich beef and bubbling with melted cheese, instantly makes any gathering feel festive, warm, and deeply cared for.
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: Do not serve these individually plated from the kitchen. Bring the entire bubbling, cheese-crusted baking dish or a massive rustic platter straight to the center of the table. The dramatic presentation of the dark red enchilada sauce bubbling up against the bright green blistered peppers is essential to the experience.
- THE POUR: A spicy, fruit-forward Zinfandel or a bold Carmenère. The smoky chipotle and warm cinnamon notes in the beef demand a wine with enough jammy fruit and peppery spice to hold its own without being overwhelmed by the melted cheddar.
- THE VIBE: Vibrant, festive, and deeply flavorful. This is the perfect meal for a lively dinner party where the food is rich, the wine flows freely, and the conversation is as spirited as the spices in the dish.
