Short Rib Beef Tostadas Recipe with Pineapple Salsa and Cotija

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

Keyword Beef Tostadas, Beef Tostadas Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 44

Time for the Instant Pot to Come to Pressure and Then Do a Natural Release 35

Servings servings

Calories 959kcal

Author Faith Gorsky

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

Short Ribs:

2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 1/2 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
1 medium red onion chopped
4 large cloves garlic crushed or minced
1 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon coconut sugar or brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 whole dried guajillo chili pepper

Pineapple Salsa:

2 1/2 cups diced fresh pineapple about 1/4 of a medium/large-sized pineapple
1 jalapeno minced (or 1/2 serrano; more or less to taste)
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Chipotle Cream:

4 tablespoons Mexican sour cream or sour cream or crème fraîche thinned with a splash of water
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

Cheesy Tostadas:

8 small corn tortillas 5 to 6-inch
2 tablespoons avocado oil
6 ounces Oaxaca cheese shredded (or Asadero cheese, Chihuahua cheese, or Monterey Jack cheese)

Other:

4 ounces Cotija cheese crumbled
1/2 small red onion thinly sliced (for garnish)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the Short Ribs:

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.

Nutrition