Short Rib Tacos Inspired by Chef Roy Choi

Short Rib Tacos Inspired by Chef Roy Choi
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The starting point for these tacos was at Best Friend, Roy Choi’s Las Vegas restaurant, where we enjoyed his Kogi Short Rib Tacos, among other terrific dishes. Bold, slightly sweet, and layered with Korean barbecue flavor, they put the spotlight on flanken-style short ribs—thinly sliced across the bone with plenty of marbling.

I took that same cut in a different direction. Instead of a BBQ marinade and the grill, I used a hot pan and a simple rub of salt, pepper, cumin, and chile powder. The short ribs seared in a thin layer of avocado oil until deeply browned, then were chopped and returned to the pan briefly to crisp the edges.

Flanken-style short rib works especially well for tacos because it’s cut across the grain and has enough marbling to stay juicy while developing great browning. The result is a deeper, more rounded beef flavor without long cooking.

I kept the toppings simple: diced onion, cilantro, shredded cabbage, a quick avocado mash with lime, salt, and pepper, and a drizzle of Mexican crema mixed with garlic and salt. Salsa roja and salsa verde were served on the side, letting the beef stay front and center while guests add salsa to their liking.

Roy Choi’s Best Friend is an indelible mash-up of bodega, bar and restaurant, serving Chef Roy’s greatest hits and more from his famous LA food truck, Kogi to his restaurants and other ventures. All of this is remixed and remastered in a new way for Las Vegas. (from Park MGM)

Short Rib Tacos Recipe

• beef short ribs, flanken style
• salt and pepper
• ground cumin
• mexican chile powder
• avocado oil
• corn tortillas
• small dice white onion
• avocado
• lime juice
• finely shredded cabbage
• mexican crema
• minced garlic
• cilantro

Short Rib

Pat the beef dry. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, and chile powder. Heat a skillet until very hot with a thin layer of avocado oil covering the bottom of the pan. Add beef in a single layer. Cook 2-3 minutes per side until browned. Let rest for a couple minutes, then slice into small pieces.

The meat right up against the bone has more connective tissue (collagen), and with a quick-cook method it doesn’t have time to break down—so it comes out chewier than the rest. So don’t try to shave the bone clean. Leave a thin layer of meat on the bone (⅛–¼ inch).

When ready to serve, return the chopped meat to the hot pan and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until some edges get slightly crispy.

Avocado Mash

Mash avocado flesh with a fork, season with lime juice, salt and pepper.

Cabbage

Toss cabbage with a squeeze of lime juice and a pinch of salt.

Mexican Crema

Mix crema with garlic to taste and a pinch of salt.

To Serve

• salsa roja
• salsa verde
• lime wedges

Fry corn tortillas in a small amount of avocado oil until slightly crispy but still pliable, about one minute per side. Immediate place the tortillas in a taco holder, to shape them and make it easy to fill. Spoon meat into the shells.

Sprinkle the meat with diced onion to taste. Top the onion with shredded cabbage, then spoon avocado mash on top. Drizzle with garlic crema and garnish with cilantro. Serve salsas and lime wedges on the side.

Las Vegas Restaurants

See bottom content (scroll down) for links to over 40 of my Las Vegas Restaurant reviews, recipes, and events including Best Friend’s Eggplant Schnitzel.