Barbecued Beef with Pickle Slaw on Toasted Soft Rolls

This is a great summery sandwich, although I eat it all year long, and the pickle slaw is incredibly refreshing. When you eat this, you’ll need a lot of napkins.

Serves 4 to 6

• 2 1/2 pounds boneless beef short ribs
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 cup ketchup
• 3/4 cup beef broth
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 4 to 6 soft rolls, split
• Pickle Slaw (page 100)

TO PREPARE: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Season the short ribs generously with salt and pepper.
In a large Dutch oven or similar pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When hot, sear the short ribs on all sides until the meat is crusty and nicely browned, 5 to 6 minutes total. Lift the short ribs from the pot and set aside on a platter.

Add the onion and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, until nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ketchup, broth, vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and paprika and bring to a simmer. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Return the ribs to the pot, cover, and roast in the oven until the beef is fork-tender, about 2 hours. Remove the pot from the oven and set aside to allow the meat to cool.

When the ribs are cool enough to handle, lift them from the pot, shred the meat using your fingers or a fork, and put it in a bowl. You will have about 3 cups of shredded short ribs. Set aside until ready to use.
Strain the cooking juices through a sieve into another bowl. Refrigerate the juices until you can skim and discard the fat that rises to the top, 20 to 30 minutes.

Spoon as much of the defatted cooking juices into the rib meat as needed to moisten it. You will need at least 1/4 cup and perhaps more.

Reheat the meat on high power in the microwave until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Preheat the broiler and toast the rolls, cut sides up, for 1 to 2 minutes, until nicely browned.

Pile equal amounts of meat on the bottom half of each roll and top with pickle slaw. Put the top half of the roll on each sandwich, press gently, and serve.

Pickle Slaw
Makes 3 1/2 to 4 cups

• 1 cup thinly shredded green cabbage
• 1 cup thinly shredded red cabbage
• 1 cup julienned baby dill pickles
• 1/2 cup julienned carrots
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 2 jalapeño chile peppers, very thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked or kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

TO PREPARE: In a large bowl, stir together the cabbages, pickles, carrots, onion, and jalapeños. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper.

Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate the slaw for at least 30 minutes to marinate.

Pork Empanadas with Ranchero Sauce

Camden, New Jersey, where I grew up, has a large and vibrant Latino population. When I was a kid, I loved eating the empanadas sold in the Mexican and Spanish markets found in nearly every corner of the city. I lived in south Camden, which was a very mixed neighborhood, but I only had to cross over to east Camden for Mexican shops and restaurants and into north Camden for Puerto Rican stores. I relied on this rich history of sampling many different empanadas when I decided to create my own with a seriously spicy ranchero sauce.

Serves 6 to 8; makes about 14 empanadas

Ranchero sauce:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• One 15-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• One 6-ounce can diced green chiles
• 1 chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• Empanadas:
• 1/2 pound pork tenderloin, cut into small cubes
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 scallions, sliced, white and green parts
• 2 chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce, minced
• 1 cup grated smoked cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Two 9-inch unbaked, store-bought pie dough rounds
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

TO PREPARE: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a shallow baking pan, such as a jelly-roll pan or a baking sheet, with parchment paper.

To make the ranchero sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chiles, and chipotle pepper and cook, stirring to blend the flavors. Add the salt and black pepper and cook until the sauce reduces slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and set aside, covered, to keep warm.
To make the empanadas: Season the pork with salt and black pepper. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When hot, sear the pork cubes, turning occasionally, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the cubes of meat to a shallow bowl and let them cool slightly. Add the scallions, chipotle peppers, cheddar, and cilantro to the bowl and toss well.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the pie rounds so that they are slightly larger and a little thinner (about 1/8 inch thick). Using a 3-inch round biscuit cutter, punch out circles of dough.
Put about 2 tablespoons of the filling, off center, on each round of dough. Brush the edges of the dough with the beaten egg and fold it over the filling to form a half-moon shape. Crimp the edges closed with a fork and arrange the empanadas on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until nicely browned. Serve warm with the ranchero sauce for dipping.