Short Rib Beef Tostadas Recipe with Pineapple Salsa and Cotija
This short rib beef tostadas recipe with pineapple salsa and cotija features melt-in-your-mouth-tender meat paired with sweet and spicy fresh pineapple salsa. Cotija cheese adds creamy texture and a touch of salty flavor for a perfect balance.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time 44 minutesminutes
Time for the Instant Pot to Come to Pressure and Then Do a Natural Release 35 minutesminutes
Turn the pressure cooker on, press “Sauté”, and wait 2 minutes for the pot to heat up. Add the avocado oil and short ribs and cook until browned, about 3 to 5 minutes per side, flipping once. Transfer the ribs to a bowl and set aside for now.
Add the onion and garlic and cook a couple minutes until they start to soften, stirring occasionally. Press “Cancel” to stop sautéing.
Stir in the beef stock, vinegar, sugar, cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt, coriander, allspice, cinnamon, and black pepper. Add the browned short ribs and guajillo chili.
Turn the pot on Manual, High Pressure for 42 minutes. Once it’s done cooking, let it do a natural pressure release for 15 minutes. After that, carefully release the pressure and then open the pot.
Use thongs to remove the meat, let it cool slightly, and then pull it off the bone and shred it. Drizzle a bit of the cooking liquid on the meat for flavor and to help keep it moist.
For the Pineapple Salsa:
Stir together all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the Chipotle Cream:
Stir together all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the Cheesy Tostadas:
Preheat the oven to 400F and line 2 large baking trays with foil. Lightly brush both sides of each tortilla with oil.
Arrange the tortillas on the baking trays and bake for 8 minutes on the first side. Flip each tortilla over, bake 3 minutes more, and then sprinkle on the shredded cheese and bake until melted, about 2 minutes.
To Assemble and Serve:
Top each tostada with shredded meat, pineapple salsa, a sprinkle of Cotija, a dollop of chipotle cream, a few slices of red onion, and fresh cilantro leaves.
Serve.
Notes
Make Ahead: The short ribs, pineapple salsa, and chipotle cream can all be made up to 3 days ahead and stored covered in the fridge. Wait to make the cheesy tostadas until right before serving.