Beef Short Rib Lettuce Wraps

Beef Short Rib Lettuce Wrap

My teenage daughter and her friends are some of the pickiest eaters I have ever encountered other than 3 yr. olds. Trying to find a dish that everyone will eat is a tough business. Some like it really eye watering hot, others can’t handle the heat, some don’t like pork and others can’t get enough of it. The list goes on. So when my girl comes to me and wants to have her friends over for dinner, I get heart palpitations. I just hate it when there is a person at my table that won’t eat my meals. It’s never easy making dinner plans for this group.

Since there are no vegetarians in her current group, beef is an easy choice. I have yet to hear that no one will eat beef but keep your fingers crossed on that one.  I bought a 2.5 lbs. package of thinly cut boneless beef short ribs at Costco’s the other day and thought I could marinate these and grilled them. They ended up marinating longer than I had anticipated due to an unexpected dinner plan change so they sat in the refrigerator for 2 days instead of one. They were extra tender I am sure due to the long marinating time, perfect for a lettuce wrap. I don’t like wraps or sandwiches where when you take a bite the whole slab of meat comes out with your bite. Awkward to say the least and girls, especially, don’t like to be embarrassed with food issues in public.

I like to use Bibb lettuce for my wraps because they are tender so they roll without tearing or cracking and they are sweet-tasting as oppose to having a peppery bite to the flavor like Arugula. I found some beautifully fresh red Bibb lettuce at the Kroger’s on Steve Reynolds Blvd. near Old Norcross Rd., not too far from Costco’s. I also bought a 1 lbs. bag of coleslaw mix and fresh cilantro that I pickled for a topping to the wrap. Since this is an Asian style wrap and Asians love their pickled vegetables, I thought this would be the perfect combination.

Guess what? They loved it! So the next time you are in a dilemma of what to feed teenage girls, try these wraps and rest easy.

Marinated Grilled Boneless Beef Short Ribs

2.5 lbs. of boneless beef short ribs thinly sliced

2 Tablespoons of minced garlic

2 Tablespoons of minced ginger

1 Tablespoons of sliced green onions, white part only

½ cup of soy sauce

2 Tablespoons of rice vinegar – unseasoned

2 Tablespoons of brown sugar

½ teaspoon of sesame oil

2 Gallon size Ziploc bags

Mix everything but the meat in a bowl until sugar dissolves. Divide the meat evenly in to the two Ziploc bags. Pour half of the marinade in each bag. Massage each bag until meat is fully coated. Refrigerate overnight. 
Light a charcoal grill. When the coals are grey spread them out and place the rack on top. Grill the meat about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and let them rest for 5 minutes.

Pickled Coleslaw with Cilantro

1 (16 oz) bag of coleslaw mix

½ cup of chopped cilantro leaves

¼ cup of rice vinegar – unseasoned

2 Tablespoons of sugar

½ teaspoon of salt

Whisk the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a large bowl until sugar and salt dissolve. Add the coleslaw mix and the cilantro. Toss until everything is coated well. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, tossing occasionally, until slightly wilted.

Red Bibb Lettuce

2 heads of red Bibb lettuce

Pull off all the large outer leaves and use the smaller inner leaves for another use. Rinse and pat dry each leaf.

To assemble:
Lay the lettuce leaf down on the plate, top with one piece of grilled short rib, top with a little less than ½ cup of the pickled slaw. Roll the lettuce over once and serve.

Serves 6