Warm up with slow cooker short-rib taco soup
Taco soup — what a concept. I first heard of it at a diner in the South. Turns out, the internet offers up dozens of recipes. For good reason. This bowl of soup sports all the luscious flavors of beefy tacos, but can be made ahead and eaten out of a bowl. I use a combination of beef short ribs and meaty-tasting flank or skirt steak for the deepest possible flavor. Pulling the cooked meat into large shreds proves reminiscent of carne asada tacos.
Set out garnishes like you would see at a taqueria: bowls of crunchy tortilla chips, minced green chiles, diced white onion with cilantro, cubes of avocado and tomato. Shredded cheese boosts richness. Tangy hot sauce and squeezes of fresh lime add spice and a bright finish.
I love to set out guacamole tacos while the soup reheats. Simply crush ripe avocado pulp with salt and hot sauce, then sandwich a spoonful in small flour tortillas (heated directly over the flame).
SLOW COOKER SHORTRIB TACO SOUP
¼ c. flour
1t.salt
½ t. black pepper
2½ lb. bone-in beef short ribs ½ to ¾ lb. flank steak or skirt steak, cut into 3 pieces
2 T. expeller-pressed
canola oil or safflower oil 1 large poblano pepper,
cored, seeded, diced 1 large yellow onion,
quartered, thinly sliced 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced
tomatoes with juice 1 pouch (8 oz.) ground beef
taco seasoning sauce 1 can (15 oz.) black beans,
undrained
For garnishes:
Crumbled seasoned tortilla
chips
Shredded cheese such as Monterey jack, Chihuahua or brick Diced ripe avocado Diced canned or fresh
tomatoes Chopped fresh cilantro Green hot sauce
Lime wedges
Mix flour, salt and pepper in large bowl. Add short ribs; toss to coat. Add flank steak; toss to coat.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet with deep sides over medium heat until hot. Add meat in a single uncrowded layer. Cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer meat to a 4- or 6-quart slow cooker. Repeat to brown all meat.
Add poblano and onion to pan drippings in skillet. Cook and stir until onion is golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic; cook, 1 minute. Scrape into slow cooker. Add tomatoes, taco seasoning sauce and 3 to 4 cups water. (Meat should be barely covered with liquid.) If taco sauce pouches are not available, substitute a 1 ounce dried seasoning pack along with an 8 ounce can of tomato sauce.
Cook covered on low setting, 6 hours. Add black beans in the last hour or so. Use tongs to remove meat from slow cooker to a cutting board. Discard bones from the short ribs. Use two large forks to pull meat into shreds.
Return shredded meat to slow cooker. Taste and adjust seasonings. (If desired, refrigerate covered for several days. Scrape off and discard solidified fat from surface of soup before reheating. After reheating, adjust consistency with water and then adjust seasonings with salt.)
Serve in wide soup bowls topped with garnishes as desired. Pass hot sauce and lime wedges for guests to add to taste. Makes about 12 cups, 12 servings.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Brown meat as directed above in the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven. Then remove browned meat to saute poblano, onion and garlic. Return meat to Dutch oven and add remaining ingredients as directed above, but increase water to 4 or 5 cups. Bake, tightly covered, stirring once or twice, until meat is fall-apart tender, about 2 hours. Add black beans. Proceed with remaining steps to serve.