Ecuadorian-style Baked Short Rib Sandwich

Hi everyone and ¡bienvenidos!

I'm so excited to introduce you to one of my favorite sandwiches. And I promise you: it's super easy to make at home!

But before we go through the recipe together, let me give you the backstory on "my" sandwich.

My home country is Ecuador in South America. But because I've been living abroad for a few years, I really miss Ecuadorian cuisine - for example, the Sanduche de Hornado. 

Unfortunately, this dish is more intended for bigger occasions like family gatherings, is fairly complicated, and calls for a whole 20 lb. leg of pork. That's why I came up with a version that tastes just as good as the original, but can also be cooked during the week and fits into any budget.

The recipe serves 3 people as a main course. It is divided into its respective final components and describes the preparation from scratch. If you don't feel like making the baguette and/or mayo yourself, feel free to get these ingredients from the store. 

So, I hope I can give you a little insight into Ecuadorian gastronomy - have fun cooking and ¡buen provecho!

The Short Ribs

• 1 kg (≈2,3 lb) short ribs of pork (2 pieces)
• juice of 3 limes
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 1 TSP ground cumin
• 1 TBSP kosher salt
• 1 TSP ground black pepper
• 330 ml (≈1⅓ cups) orange juice (preferably fresh)
• 330 ml (≈1⅓ cups) pale beer
• 2 TBSP neutral oil (e. g. sunflower, grapeseed, canola)
• 1 TSP ground achiote
• 2 TBSP unsalted butter
• 2 TBSP lard

The Baguette

• 320 ml (≈1⅓ cups) lukewarm water
• 2 TSP white sugar
• 2 TSP dry yeast
• 400 g (≈2½ cups) bread flour
• 2 TSP kosher salt
• some extra flour for the worktop

The Pickled Onions

• 2-3 medium red onions
• 2 TBSP kosher salt
• juice of 3 limes
• 240 ml (≈1 cup) hot water
• 1 TBSP neutral oil (e. g. sunflower, grapeseed, canola)

The Mayonnaise

• 1 egg yolk at room temperature
• 170 ml (≈¾ cup) neutral oil (e. g. sunflower, grapeseed, canola)
• kosher salt to taste

The Toppings

• head of lettuce (e. g. frisee, iceberg, romaine)
• a large handful of fresh coriander (cilantro)
• 1-2 avocados
• 3 TBSP yellow mustard
• whatever you like - be creative!

Working time: 30 min // Total time: 5 - 12 h

1. Wash the meat thoroughly with cold water and then pat dry. Place in a bowl or sealable container with enough room for the marinade later on.
2. Now blend the lime juice, peeled garlic, cumin, salt, pepper and orange juice in a blender until everything is smooth.
3. Then slowly pour the beer into the turned off blender and gently stir with a spoon. 
4. Next, pour the finished marinade over the meat and briefly massage the marinade into the meat with clean hands.
5. Cover everything and preferably leave to marinate overnight or for at least 3 hours in the refrigerator.
6. Preheat the oven to 150 °C (302 Fahrenheit) top and bottom heat.
7. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place 2 sheets of aluminum foil and spread 1 TBSP of oil on each sheet. Then take the meat out of the marinade and place the spareribs on the aluminum foil with the bones facing down, cover with aluminum foil, close tightly. 
8. Let them cook slowly in the oven on the middle rack for about 90 minutes.
9. In the meantime, melt the butter and lard in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the achiote and stir everything together until you get an orange-red liquid oil. Remove it from the heat and set aside.
10. After the 90 minutes, remove the top aluminum foil from the ribs and brush both pieces evenly with the achiote oil. Increase the oven temperature to 250 °C (482 Fahrenheit) for about 5-15 minutes. It is best to use the grill function until the spare ribs get a nice color and crispy.
11. Take the spare ribs out of the oven and let them cool on a cutting board until you can handle them with your hands without burning yourself.
12. Then pull out the individual bones from the meat. This should be easy, as the meat is cooked tender.
13. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces, put it in a bowl and add cooking juices from the meat if you like and mix.

Working time: 25 min // Total time: 3:00 h

1. In a bowl mix 320 ml (≈1⅓ cups) lukewarm water, sugar and dry yeast.
2. In another bowl mix flour with salt and add to the yeast-water.
3. Mix just long enough for all ingredients to combine, but do not knead vigorously, it should be a shaggy dough.
4. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel or cling film and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 90 minutes.
5. Slide the fairly liquid dough onto a generously floured countertop and divide it into three roughly equal pieces. Remember, do not knead the dough more than necessary.
6. If you don't have baguette tins at home like me, you can use rolled up aluminum foil to form spacers for the 3 baguettes to bake. Lay them out side by side on a baking sheet and line with baking paper.
7. Now quickly twist each of the three pieces of dough lengthwise. Then place them carefully in the makeshift baguette tins.
8. Cover the 3 dough rolls and let them rest for another 30 minutes.
9. Preheat the oven to 250 °C (482 Fahrenheit) top and bottom heat or 230 °C (446 Fahrenheit) convection oven.
10. Then bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown.
11. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

Working time: 10 min // Total time: 4:40 h

1. Peel the onions, cut them in half and julienne them into very thin slices (but be careful - watch your fingers!)
2. Add to the onion slices a tablespoon of Kosher salt and a tablespoon of lime juice, knead well with clean hands and allow to stand for 15 minutes.
3. Cover the onions with the hot water and let them sit again for at least 15 minutes.
4. Strain out the water and wash the onions well until the salt is removed.
5. Add the remaining lime juice, salt and oil and mix well.
6. Cover the onions and let them sit in the refrigerator for about 4 hours. Fun Fact: The longer they rest, the pinker they will become!

Note: Well covered, these onions will last up to a week in the refrigerator. They taste great on bread, with tacos or in a vinaigrette.

Working time: 10 min // Total time: 10 min

1. Put the egg yolk in a relatively large bowl.
2. To stabilize the bowl on the work surface, it can be placed in the center of a slightly damp rolled-up kitchen towel.
3. Then slowly add the oil drop by drop, stirring steadily and vigorously. An emulsion will be formed. As time goes by, the oil can be added faster and faster, but better be safe than sorry.
4. Finally, season with kosher salt and refrigerate.

Note: Use the egg white for baking, quickly sautéed on bread or for a soufflé.

Working time: 15 min // Total time: 15 min

1. Wash the lettuce thoroughly, pat dry and cut into strips.
2. Also wash, dry and chop the cilantro.
3. Open the avocados, remove the pit and cut into strips. To prevent the avocado pieces from turning brown, drizzle with a little lime juice.
4. Now cut the baguette lengthwise with a bread knife.
5. Spread the top with mayo, the bottom with mustard - or the other way around! :) 
6. Then arrange the avocado, pickled onions, lettuce, cilantro and the meat on the bread.
7. Done!