Fast-Braised Flanken Short Ribs en Adobo de Guajillo y Naranja
Listen to me, we are not spending six hours over a traditional mole on a Tuesday night. This is a Tuesday mole, not a wedding mole! Back in Oaxaca, my tías would coax deep flavors from dried chiles over hours, but here in my Brooklyn kitchen with two kids tugging at my apron? We adapt. That is where these Fast-Braised Flanken Short Ribs en Adobo de Guajillo y Naranja come in. I wanted that rich, complex chile flavor without the wait. By using thin-cut flanken ribs and a quick-toasted guajillo-orange base, you get fall-apart tenderness in under 40 minutes. (While the ribs braise during homework time, you can quickly pickle some red onions—mom math at its finest.) What makes this special to me is how it bridges my roots with my real life right now. The bright orange juice cuts right through the richness of the beef, and the crisp radishes on top give you that texture contrast we need. Taste it—then decide if it needs more salt. Serve it with warm corn tortillas and remember: we’re not suffering for dinner, we are eating like royalty on a weeknight.
Featured Recipe
Fast-Braised Flanken Short Ribs en Adobo de Guajillo y Naranja
Cross-cut flanken short ribs seared hard and fast-braised in a glossy, toasted guajillo and fresh orange adobo that turns fall-apart tender in under 40 minutes. Finished with crisp radishes, pickled red onions, and warm corn tortillas for the ultimate weeknight comfort.
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Timeline
Ingredients
- 2 lbs flanken-style beef short ribs(bone-in, cut across the bone about 1/2-inch thick; also labeled as Korean-style ribs or tablitas)
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt(divided; taste as you go)
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp avocado oil(or any neutral high-heat oil)
- 4 guajillo chiles(wiped clean, stemmed, and deseeded)
- 1 chipotle chile in adobo(plus 1 tsp adobo sauce from the can)
- 1/2 medium yellow onion(roughly chopped)
- 4 garlic cloves(peeled and smashed)
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice(from about 1 large orange)
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth(or chicken broth in a pinch)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano(crushed between your palms)
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice(plus lime wedges for serving)
- 4 radishes(thinly sliced, for serving)
- 1/3 cup pickled red onions(for serving)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro(coarsely chopped leaves and tender stems)
- 8 corn tortillas(warmed on a comal or dry skillet)
Instructions
- 1
Pat 2 lbs flanken-style beef short ribs thoroughly dry with paper towels (moisture is the enemy of a golden crust!) and season both sides evenly with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper.
4 min
Tip: Flanken cut is our weeknight shortcut: because they are cut thinly across the bone, they braise tender in a fraction of the time needed for thick English short ribs.
- 2
Heat 1 tbsp avocado oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the 4 guajillo chiles pressed flat with tongs for just 20 to 30 seconds per side until fragrant and lightly blistered, but not blackened, then transfer them immediately to a blender jar.
2 min
Tip: Do not walk away here! Burnt dried chiles turn bitter instantly; you just want them to puff and wake up.
- 3
In the same hot pan, work in two quick batches to sear the seasoned 2 lbs flanken-style beef short ribs for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deeply browned and caramelized. Transfer the seared ribs to a plate and set aside.
7 min
Tip: Don't crowd the pan, or the ribs will steam instead of searing. That brown fond stuck to the bottom is pure braising gold.
- 4
While the ribs are searing on batch two, toss 1/2 medium yellow onion, 4 garlic cloves, 1 chipotle chile in adobo, 1/2 cup fresh orange juice, 1 cup low-sodium beef broth, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano, 1/4 tsp ground cumin, and remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt into the blender with the toasted guajillos. Blend on high until velvety smooth.
3 min
Tip: If your blender isn't super high-powered, you can strain the adobo through a mesh sieve, but honestly? On a Tuesday night, we just blend it for an extra 45 seconds and keep moving.
- 5
Pour the blended adobo straight into the hot skillet, scraping up all the savory browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon as the sauce sizzles and tightens.
2 min
Tip: Let the sauce simmer vigorously for 60 seconds so the tomato paste and aromatics fry slightly in the rendered beef fat.
- 6
Nestle the seared 2 lbs flanken-style beef short ribs and any resting juices back into the bubbling sauce. Turn the heat down to low, cover tightly with a lid, and let it fast-braise at a gentle simmer until the meat is succulent and pulling away from the tiny cross-cut bones, about 22 minutes.
22 min
Tip: Check at the 12-minute mark just to ensure your simmer is gentle and not scorching at the bottom; drop heat if needed.
- 7
While the ribs finish braising, slice 4 radishes, get 1/3 cup pickled red onions ready, chop 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, and warm 8 corn tortillas directly on a comal or dry cast-iron skillet until soft and pliable.
8 min
Tip: Keep the tortillas stacked inside a clean kitchen towel so they stay steamy and soft.
- 8
Remove the lid from the skillet. Stir in 1 tbsp fresh lime juice right into the sauce, spooning the glossy adobo generously over each rib. Taste it—then decide if you need a tiny splash more lime or a pinch of salt to wake it up.
2 min
Tip: That hit of fresh lime at the very end cuts right through the rich beef fat. We call this the finishing move!
- 9
Transfer the braised ribs to a platter (or serve right out of the skillet), ladling the rich adobo sauce over the top. Scatter with 4 radishes (thinly sliced), 1/3 cup pickled red onions, and 1/4 cup fresh cilantro. Serve immediately with 8 corn tortillas (warmed) and lime wedges.
2 min
Tip: Tear the meat right off the bone with your fingers, roll it into a warm tortilla with sauce and crunchy toppings, and enjoy dinner.
Chef's Notes
Bodega Mode: If you can't find dried guajillo chiles, bump the chipotle chiles up to 2 and add 1 tablespoon of sweet paprika or ancho chile powder to the blender. If You’ve Got a Mexican Market Nearby: Ask the carnicero for 'costilla cargada para asar' or 'tablitas' sliced 1/2-inch thick. Leftovers shred like a dream for next-day tacos or mixed into hot frijoles negros.
María “Mari” Santiago
Oaxacan comfort, Brooklyn shortcuts, weeknight bright.
María “Mari” Santiago was born in Oaxaca, where her earliest kitchen memories are measured in scent: chiles toasting on a comal, cinnamon and chocolate blooming in mole, and the warm, nutty snap of a tlayuda folded in half for the walk home. She learned by watching—first her tías, then her abuela—picking up the small, practical rules that never made it into written recipes: how to tell when the garlic is *just* right, how to rescue a too-spicy salsa, and why you always taste the broth before you add the salt. Now in Brooklyn, Mari cooks the food she grew up on while raising two little kids and juggling real-life time limits. Her style is “real flavor, real life”: traditional Oaxacan and everyday Mexican dishes—moles, caldos, frijoles, enfrijoladas, salsas, and crispy tlayudas—made weeknight-friendly with smart shortcuts, brighter salsas, and more vegetables without losing the soul of the dish. She’s not precious about rules, she’s big on swaps, and she’s on a mission to prove that you can cook deeply flavorful Mexican food with what you can actually find at a normal grocery store (and still get dinner on the table before a meltdown). Mari’s recipes read like a friend texting you from the produce aisle: clear, funny, and unpretentious, with a side of abuela wisdom. If there’s a hard-to-find ingredient, she gives you a realistic alternative, tells you what will change (and what won’t), and keeps the focus where it belongs—on food that tastes like home, even when home is a small Brooklyn kitchen.