Smoked Porter Mole Short Ribs

Serves 4-6

• 3 lbs Boneless Short Ribs, cut 2” thick
• ¼ cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 pieces Pasilla Chile
• 1 piece Guajillo Chile
• 1 piece Chile Negro
• 2 pieces Chile de Arbol
• ½ cup Pepitas, shelled pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup Peanuts, toasted
• 2 pieces Bay Leaf
• 1 piece Mexican Canela, or Cinnamon Stick
• 1 teaspoon Whole Cloves
• 1 Tablespoon Black Peppercorns
• 1 Tablespoon Cumin Seed
• 3 Tablespoons Coriander
• 1 large Onion, peeled, halved, sliced thin
• 8 cloves Garlic, crushed
• 1 piece Jalapeno Pepper, rough chopped
• 1 piece Anaheim Chile, sliced thin
• ½ piece Orange, cut in slices, rind on
• ½ cup Dark Brown Sugar
• ¼ cup Raisins
• ½ cup Dried Black Mission Figs
• 3 ounces Mexican Chocolate, chopped roughly
• 1 bottle Stone Brew Smoked Porter Beer, 22 ounces
• 2 cup Chicken Stock
• Salt and Black Pepper
• Lime Juice, to taste

1. Heat a large, heavy bottomed pot over high heat. Pat the short ribs dry and season them generously with salt and pepper. Add the vegetable oil to the pot and sear the short ribs in single layer batches, browning the beef about 4 minutes each side, and then setting the beef aside on a plate. Do not crowd the bottom of the pan and cook beef in batches until all of the beef has been seared.
2. While the beef is searing, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the pasillas, guajillo, chile negro, and chilies de arbol. Using dry heat, lightly toast the chilies in the pan until fragrant, about 3 minutes per side, being careful not to burn the chilies, shaking the pan often. Remove the chilies from the pan and set aside. Once the chilies have cooled, remove and discard the stems.
3. Add the pepitas and peanuts to the hot pan. Lightly toast the nuts and seeds in the dry pan for 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the pan and set aside with the dried chilies. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, cumin, and coriander seed to the hot pan. Toast the spices in the dry pan for 4 minutes, or until fragrant, being careful not to burn the spices. Remove from the pan and set aside with the dried chilies and nuts.
4. Once the short ribs have finished searing, add the sliced onion, garlic, jalapeno, Anaheim chile, and orange to the pot. Stir well and season well with salt and pepper, using a wooden spoon to help scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook the vegetables until the onions begin to tenderize and soften, about 6 minutes, stirring often.
5. Add the short ribs back to the pot with the onions. Add in the toasted chilies, spices, nuts and seeds. Stir in the dried raisins, figs, brown sugar and Mexican chocolate. Pour the smoked porter and chicken stock into the pot. Stir everything well and bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Reduce the pot to a simmer and cook covered over low heat for 3 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent the bottom of the pot from burning.  The short ribs are ready when they are fork tender.
6. Remove the short ribs from the braising liquid into a bowl. Gently shred the meat into large chunks with two forks.  In small batches, blend the braising liquid and remaining cooked solids in a blender or food processor until smooth. The texture should resemble a loose puree. Add water or chicken stock as necessary. Repeat the process until all of the braise has been pureed. Combine the blended mole into a new pot stirring and seasoning to taste with salt, pepper, and lime juice.
7. Add the desired amount of mole back to your short ribs (you may have a large amount of mole left over, which can be stored and frozen for up to 2 months.). Serve the short ribs in mole with warm tortillas.