Dark Chocolate and Stout Braised Ribs

Step 1

Put the oven rack on the top shelf and preheat your oven to broil. Cut the racks into individual ribs and salt them on the meat side. Put them into a baking sheet and broil for 10-12 minutes, until they are golden. Remove them from the oven and turn the temperature down to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2

Heat the oil in a large braising pot on medium-high heat then add the onion. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes then add the carrot and celery. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are well-browned, about 7-8 minutes. Turn the heat down if needed. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

Step 3

Transfer the cooked veggies to your blender and add 2 cups of water, and the chipotles in adobo sauce. Blend on high until smooth then pour back into the braising pot. Add another ½ cup of water to your blender to clean it out then add this to the pot, too.

Step 4

Add the beer, brown sugar, fish sauce, espresso powder, and chocolate to the pot and heat the sauce until the chocolate melts. Remove the pot from the heat.

Step 5

Add the ribs to the pot, stacking them on end as best as you can. Put the lid on the pot and put it into your oven to braise for 4-5 hours.

Step 6

The ribs can easily be served directly from the pot. But if you'd like to thicken the sauce a little, remove the ribs from the pot, mix a little water into the cornstarch and add this to the pot. Stir the pot over medium heat until the sauce thickens, about 1-2 minutes. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.