It took me several months but I finally decided to purchase an instant pot last year. It was and still is probably one of my best kitchen gadgets. I use the machine at least twice a week, cutting cooking time by at least half for many dishes. (No this is not an ad, I just love my instant pot). Today's lunch is the perfect example of what an instant pot can do in a fraction of the time. Braised carne asada short ribs come together with cilantro lime rice, marinated tomatoes, plantain chips, braised black beans, fresh mango, and avocado for one epic meal. Pull out your instant pot or pressure cooker and get ready to make this amazing Mexican bowl.
Carne Asada Short Ribs Mexican Bowls
Ingredients
Short ribs
- 3 lb short ribs
- ½ cup orange juice
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
- 4 garlic cloves smashed
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Black beans
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 14-ounce cans black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
Cilantro lime rice
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 2 cups chicken stock
- juice and zest of 1 lime
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Plantain chips
- 2 yellow plantains sliced into ½ inch rounds
- ¼ cup oil
- salt
Marinated tomatoes
- 2 tomatoes diced
- ¼ cup cilantro
- juice of 1 lime
- salt and pepper
Remaining ingredients
- 2 avocados peeled and sliced
- 1 mango peeled and sliced
Instructions
- Place all ingredients for short ribs in an instant pot. Set settings to pressure cooker at 1 hour 20 minutes. Release pressure at the end of cooking time. The short ribs should easily fall apart with a fork.
- Meanwhile, prepare the black beans. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add chopped onions and garlic and saute until onions have softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add black beans, chicken stock, cumin, bay leaf, oregano, and salt. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Adjust seasonings accordingly, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Keep warm.
- Make the cilantro lime rice. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add garlic powder, cumin, and salt and saute 30 seconds. Add the rice and stir to coat the rice with the seasonings. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes or until rice is cooked. Stir lime zest, lime juice, and chopped cilantro into cooked rice. Keep warm.
- Prepare the plantain chips. Heat ¼ cup oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add plantains and cook until golden brown on both sides. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Season with salt.
- Marinate the tomatoes. Combine chopped tomatoes with cilantro, lime and salt, and pepper. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Remove shorts ribs from the instant pot and shred. Assemble the bowls. Portion rice into 4 bowls followed by the short ribs, black beans, plantain chips, marinated tomatoes, fresh mango, and avocado. Drizzle juices from the short ribs on top. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.
**Helpful tips and common mistakes
Although this recipe calls for the use of an instant pot, you can also use a slow cooker, standard pressure cooker, or even the oven. Whatever method you use, the technique will still be the same. Place all the ingredients for the short ribs in the cooking vessel and braise until the meat is tender. If you are cooking them in the oven, braise the short ribs at 325 degrees F, covered, for 2 hours or until tender.
While the short ribs are braising, prepare the black beans. I used canned black beans to cut on the time but you can also use dried. If using dried beans, soak them overnight and cook them the following day with the seasonings. It will take longer to cook, about 40-45 minutes. Make sure to keep the fire on low to prevent the beans from drying out too quickly.
The cilantro lime rice is one of my go-to rice recipes for many bowls. A little cilantro, lime zest, and lime juice are all you need to finish the rice.
As for the plantains, make sure to use yellow plantains. Green plantains are used for starchier sides such as tostones while yellow plantains are sweeter. The yellow plantains won't be crispy like chips but will caramelize and become even more delicious.
Marinate the tomatoes with cilantro, lime, salt, and pepper, slice the mangoes and avocadoes, and you are done! Yes, that was a lot of work for one bowl but it will be worth it, trust me.
You can also prepare a large batch of carne asada short ribs to make leftovers because honestly, who wouldn't want extra short ribs? Don't forget to drizzle some of the juices from the short ribs for extra flavor.
These carne asada short ribs Mexican bowls are heavenly, and I mean heavenly. A little sweet, a little savory, a little creamy all combined into one bowl for one epic meal.
For more Mexican inspiration check out these chipotle mojo pork tacos!
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