More often than not I am craving a Chipotle burrito bowl. But after a couple of nights the budget friendly casual fast-food joint gets pricy.  So one night I figured I would recreate the classic barbacoa bowl with a twist. I thought to myself, why not substitute the shredded beef with a favorite short ribs recipe and braise it in beer? And as an alternative for Chipotles’ signature cilantro-lime rice add avocado to the mix for a delicious flare. What I got as the finishing product was nothing short of amazing. Dinner at Casa de Mason has easily become the Mexican restaurant of choice!

What You’ll Need:

• 1 large onion, cut into half-inch strips
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded, cut into half-inch strips
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, cut into half-inch strips
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• ¼ cup of olive oil

Avocado Cilantro-Lime Rice:

• 2 cups of rice
• 1 ¾ cups of water
• 1 avocado, mashed
• ¼ cup of cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• The juice of 1 lime

Beer-braised Short Ribs:

• 3 pounds short ribs (bone in)
• Dash of  course salt
• Dash of ground black pepper
• Olive oil for searing
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 bottles of your choice of lager beer, total of 32 oz. (I used Sam Adams Boston Lager)
• 1/3 of chicken stock

Directions:

(The morning of): Season short ribs with salt and black pepper. Heat some olive oil in a large sauté pan. When pan is piping hot, sear short ribs until just browned, about 1-2 minutes per side. Place in crock-pot slow cooker.Add onion, garlic, beer, and chicken stock to crock-pot and cover.

Cook on low for 8-9 hours, turning once you arrive home. Meat should be tender and easily falling off the bone.

Shred meat and set aside.

Rice preparation:

Bring a medium sauce pan of water and salt to a boil over high heat. Pour in the rice; bring it back to a boil and let the rice cook. Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and leave covered for 5-7 minutes, or until water is completely absorbed and rice is tender.

Fold in mashed avocado to rice pan. Stir in lime juice, salt, and cilantro right before serving.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over high heat. Add the pepper and onion strips, and sauté for 4-5 minutes, or until the peppers begin to soften. Turn down heat to low, and add the garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Saute for 2 more minutes then remove from heat and transfer to serving plate.

Prepare burrito bowl to your liking and serve!

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