Ribs
10 pounds bone in beef short ribs
Dry Rub
1cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated garlic
1/2 cup granulated onion
1 cup chipotle rub
1/4 cup salt
1/8 cup ginger
1/8 cup black pepper

Mix all ingredients together and liberally massage the short ribs with the dry rub.  Let marinade 2 days.

Braising of the short ribs
1/2 bottle tequila
3 cans root beer
1quart beef stock
2 carrots-medium dice
2 large onions- medium dice
1celery-medium dice
1 can diced tomatoes
3 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 cup minced garlic
2 oranges cut into quarters
2 limes cut into quarters

In large roasting pan heat 1/4 cup olive oil and sear both sides of the short ribs.  Once short ribs are seared remove from pan and add onions, celery, carrots and sauté for three minutes.  Add garlic and sauté another 2 minutes then deglaze pan with tequila.  Then replace short ribs and add all remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil then remove for heat cover with wax paper and tin foil.  Place roasting in oven that is set at 275 and slow cook 4-6 hours until the bone slides completely out of the meat.  Save braising liquid as it can be used as addition sauce or liquid to hold short rib in to keep warm.

Caramelized shallot Queso Menonita Polenta Cake
2 cup shallots minced
1/4 minced garlic
1cup scallions
1cup queso Menonita
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup milk
2 cups water
Pinch chipotle
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt
1 cup polenta
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter

Directions
In a sauté pan melt butter then add shallots.  Once shallots begin to cook add brown sugar and slowly cook shallots until a caramel like consistency.In a saucepan combine the milk, water, bay and chipotle. Bring the mixture to a boil over low heat and season generously with salt. Take the seasoning to the edge of too salty. To do this you MUST taste as you go. Polenta acts as a salt eraser, if you don't season abundantly here you will never recover from it.

Once the liquid is at a boil and is seasoned appropriately, sprinkle in the polenta whisking constantly. Once the polenta is combined switch over to a wooden spoon, add shallots, garlic and stir frequently until the polenta has become thick. Taste the polenta to see if it has cooked through. If it still feels mealy and grainy, add some more milk or water and cook it to a thick consistency. Repeat this process, as needed, until the polenta feels smooth on your tongue, about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and stir in scallions and Queso Menonita

Line a 7 by 7-inch square pan with plastic wrap. Pour the polenta into the prepared pan. Cover the top with more plastic smoothed onto the surface of the polenta. Chill in the refrigerator until needed.

When ready to use, remove the polenta from the pan and cut into desired shapes. Coat a nonstick sauté pan with olive oil and bring to medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot and starting to smoke just a little, add the polenta shapes. Cook the polenta on both sides.

Tomatillo Candied BBQ
1 small onion, diced
3 tablespoons duck fat
10 cloves garlic, chopped
10 tomatillos, husked, washed and roughly chopped
1 can chipotle in adobe
3 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 cup champagne vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, sauté the onions in the duck fat until golden. Add the garlic, tomatillos, chipotle, brown sugar, vinegar, molasses  and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens, 30 to 45 minutes.  Puree with an immersion blender.  Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly and being careful not to burn. Season with salt and pepper.

Recipe by Brain Mattice from The Red Wings