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+ servings

Loaded Sweet Potato Irish Nachos with Beer-Braised Short Ribs

Author - Serena Wolf
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the short ribs:

  • 2 pounds boneless beef short ribs
  • tablespoons olive oil divided
  • ½ yellow onion minced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 tablespoon Cholula or hot sauce of your choice
  • 12 ounces beer of your choice I used Coors Light because that’s what I had in my fridge, but anything on the lighter side will do. Do NOT use an IPA, or your sauce will be very bitter.
  • 1 cup tomato puree/sauce

For the sweet potatoes:

  • 3 medium sweet potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
  • teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the nachos:

  • ½ cup pickled jalapenos
  • cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
  • 1 cup guacamole or diced avocado
  • 1 small red bell pepper diced
  • ¼ large red onion minced
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped

Instructions

  • Let’s start with the short ribs! Cut your ribs into 2½-inch chunks (I usually just cut each short rib in half) and pat them dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
  • Heat the olive oil in a medium Dutch oven or saucepan. When hot, add the short ribs and brown them well on all sides. This should take about 6-8 minutes. Transfer the browned short ribs to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
  • Add the onions and garlic to the Dutch oven/saucepan that you used to cook the short ribs and sauté, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, for about 3 minutes until the onions become translucent. (There should be enough leftover oil/drippings in the pan to coat the onions and garlic, but if it’s too dry, add a ½ tablespoon of olive oil.) Add the cumin, chili powder and paprika and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the beer, tomato sauce and Cholula and bring to a boil. When boiling, add the short ribs and lower the heat so that the liquid is just simmering. Cover the Dutch oven/saucepan with a lid and cook for 2 hours until the short ribs are fork tender.
  • About an hour before the short ribs have finished cooking, get to work on the sweet potatoes. Start by pre-heating the oven to 425 degrees. Place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Set aside, while you prepare the potatoes.
  • Scrub the sweet potatoes to get the skin very clean and pat them dry. Slice them in half lengthwise, and then again widthwise. Cut each fourth into 4-5 wedges about 1-inch thick. Place the sweet potatoes to a large bowl and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. In a small bowl, combine the cumin, paprika and salt. Add the spice mixture to the sweet potatoes and toss to coat. Arrange the spiced sweet potato wedges on the prepared rack in an even layer, making sure that the wedges aren’t touching. Transfer the sweet potatoes to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until tender and lightly browned.
  • When the short ribs have finished cooking, remove them from the braising liquid and place them on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred your amazingly tender meat. Briefly set aside.
  • Now it’s time to assemble your nachos! You can use whatever vessel you like for your nachos. I used mini skillets because they’re cute and everyone loves a perfectly portioned meal, but you can use a large skillet or a large baking dish. Start by arranging the sweet potatoes in your vessel of choice. Next, add the beer-braised short ribs and jalapeños, and top everything with the shredded cheese. Place your nachos under the broiler for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
  • Top the nachos with guacamole, bell peppers, red onion and cilantro (and any other toppings you can think of!) and serve immediately.