Short Rib Melt

Overview

Braised short ribs belong on a plate, right? But what if that plate were two slices of butter-grilled sourdough bread, topped with Tillamook Vintage White Medium Cheddar and a tangy horseradish cream?

“Our famous braised short rib meat topped with Tillamook Vintage White Medium Cheddar and brushed with a tangy horseradish cream. Voted as one of LA’s best sandwiches, this tasty melt is great with our au jus dipping sauce.” – Greg Morris of The Oaks Gourmet
 

Ingredients

Braised Short Ribs
12 oz (approximately 2.5 cups) of short ribs
Salt and pepper
1 onion, sliced
2 cups sherry wine (or red wine)
1 teaspoon peppercorns
2 bay leaves

Horseradish Sauce
¼ cup (2 oz) Tillamook^® Sour Cream
3 tablespoons horseradish
Squeeze of lemon juice

Melts
8 slices sourdough bread
8 slices Tillamook^® Vintage White Medium Cheddar Cheese
½ cup (4 oz) Tillamook^® Unsalted Butter
16 oz au jus (for dipping)

Preparation

Braised Short Ribs
Preheat oven to 375°F. To prepare the short ribs, take big chunks of short rib meat and season with salt and pepper. Sear in a hot frying pan, rotating each chunk so all sides of the rib brown. Cook in batches if necessary. Add the sliced onion to the bottom of an oven-safe roasting pan. Transfer seared meat to the roasting pan and place on top of the onions. Add wine, peppercorns, bay leaves, and any other desired spices, then add enough water to just about cover the meat. Cover the pan and place it in the preheated oven and let cook for about 3 hours. During this time periodically check the meat and add more water if needed. Remove the lid and continue cooking for another 30 minutes or so until the meat gets nice and brown and the liquid is reduced. The meat should be tender and fall apart easily.

Horseradish Sauce
Meanwhile, prepare horseradish sauce by combining sour cream, horseradish and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Melts
To make each sandwich, place one slice of Tillamook Vintage White Medium Cheddar Cheese on each slice of bread. Place 3 oz of braised short rib meat on top of one of the slices. Top each sandwich with 1 tablespoon of horseradish sauce. Close the sandwich, then spread butter on the top slice of bread.

Warm a non-stick pan to medium to medium-high heat and melt butter in the pan. Place the sandwich butter-side-up in the pan and cook for about two minutes. Check to see if the bottom of the sandwich is browned, then flip the sandwich. Cook for two more minutes. When the sandwich is done cooking let it cool for a minute and cut in half. While eating, dip the sandwich in au jus sauce!