Jess’ Tips and Tricks:

• Beef short ribs: There are 2 common cuts of beef short ribs: flanken beef short ribs (long strips cut across the bone, which you may recognize from Korean-style kalbi) and English-cut beef short ribs (hearty pieces cut along the bone). For a slowly simmered dish, like this beer braised short rib tacos recipe, opt for English-cut. These days, you can find English-cut beef short ribs at most conventional grocery stores with a nice butcher section. For best results, choose meaty ribs with nice marbling. Easy substitutions: Using bone-in short ribs creates more depth of flavor, though boneless short ribs work just as well in this recipe. If you have trouble finding beef short ribs, feel free to use beef chuck roast instead.
• Suggested beer and substitutes: I love making this recipe with a Mexican lager (e.g. Pacifico, Modelo). If you prefer a bolder beer flavor, use your favorite ale or IPA. Easy substitutions: For gluten-free short rib tacos, simply use your favorite gluten-free beer. If you do not wish to cook your short ribs with beer, simply swap it for 1 ½ cups beef stock or broth.

Alternate Cooking Methods:

• Oven-Braised Short Rib Tacos: Prep the recipe according to Steps 1-4, above. Rather than braising on the stovetop, transfer the covered pot to a 325 degree F oven. Braise in the oven for 3 ½ – 4 hours, until the beef short ribs are fall-apart tender, then finish as described in Steps 5-6.
• Crockpot / Slow Cooker Short Rib Tacos: Prep the recipe according to Steps 1-3, above. Transfer the browned short ribs to the slow cooker, along with the aromatics and beer braising liquid as directed in Step 4. Slow cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours, stirring occasionally. Finish as described in Steps 5-6. (*Note: If your slow cooker has a searing/browning feature, you can use it to cook the entire recipe (Steps 1-5) in the slow cooker.)
• Instant Pot Short Rib Tacos: Use your Instant Pot’s “Sauté” setting to cook the recipe according to Steps 1-4, above. Cover and seal the pressure cooker and cook on manual high pressure for 50 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes before carefully flicking the valve to its “venting” position to vent out any residual pressure. Finish as described in Steps 5-6.

Storage and Freezing:

• Storage and Reheating: Transfer any leftover braised short ribs and sauce to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through.
  
• Freezer Instructions: These beer braised short ribs are also incredibly freezer-friendly. To freeze, transfer the short ribs and any leftover sauce to a freezer container (or divide it up between multiple freezer containers for smaller portions – Souper Cubes are my fave!). Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or submerge the freezer container in room temperature water for a quicker thaw. Reheat on the stovetop until warmed through and adjust as needed – if the sauce is a little watery at first, simply allow any residual water simmer out; if it is too thick, simply add in a splash of water or stock until your desired consistency is reached.