Game Day Grub Match: Chipotle Wild Cherry Pepsi Short Rib Kickers!

Chipotle Wild Cherry Pepsi Short Rib Kickers

 Game day is NOTHING without a few sliders, and these babies are so fun to make and eat!  I love how the pretzel rolls look like little footballs!  These Chipotle Cherry Short Rib Kickers have such a great balance of flavor and texture, they'll please even the pickiest of your foodie friends on Super Bowl Sunday!

I started with some beef short ribs and seared them before adding them to the slow cooker with some red wine, tart cherries, beef broth and LOTS of Wild Cherry Pepsi!  I added just a touch of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for a hint of smoky heat to balance out the sweetness of the Pepsi.  After about 4 hours, I had a colorful, juicy and tender meat that just fell off the bone and shredded easily with a fork.

For some acidity, I chopped green and red cabbage and mixed it with a few tablespoons of lime juice and Mountain Dew.  Some chopped avocado bits gave it just a hint of creamy texture and balanced out my slider.  But I didn't stop there!

For an extra kick and crunch I decided to roll some thinly sliced onion in a crushed bag of Tostitos Cantina Traditional Chips and fry them up to crispy perfection.  Voila!  The perfect game day dish is served!

Chipotle Wild Cherry Pepsi Short Rib Kickers

For the Chipotle Wild Cherry Pepsi Short Ribs:
Ingredients:

Chipotle Wild Cherry Pepsi Short Rib Kickers

• 2 lbs. bone-in beef short ribs (6-7 ribs)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 16.9oz. Wild Cherry Pepsi (1 medium bottle) 
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup red wine (I used a California blend)
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced or pressed
• 1/4 cup chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
• 1 cup tart cherries in water
• salt and pepper

Steps:

1. Heat the olive oil to high heat in a large skillet.  Season the short ribs with salt and pepper and sear them in the oil for about 1 minute on all sides, until well browned.  Transfer to a slow-cooker or crock pot.
2. Add the Wild Cherry Pepsi, beef broth, red wine, minced garlic, chipotle peppers in adobo and tart cherries to the slow cooker and still until all ingredients to combine.  Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.  
3. Cover and cook in the slow cooker on high heat for about 4 hours, until the meat easily falls away from the bone.  Shred the meat with a fork and return to the slow cooker.  Turn the heat down to warm and allow the meat to soak up the juices for an additional 15 minutes before serving.

For the Mountain Dew Avocado Citrus Slaw:
Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded fresh cabbage (about 1/4 head of cabbage)
• 1 cup shredded fresh red cabbage (about 1/8 head of cabbage)
• 1 large tomato, chopped 
• 1 large avocado, chopped
• juice of 1 large lime
• 2 tbsp. Mountain Dew
• salt and pepper

Steps:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the green and red cabbage and tomato.  Toss to combine.  
2. Stir in the avocado, lime juice and Mountain Dew.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Chipotle Wild Cherry Pepsi Short Rib Kickers

For the Tostitos Crusted Crispy Onions:
Ingredients:

• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 3 egg whites
• 12 oz. Tostitos Cantina Traditional Chips
• 2 cups vegetable oil

Steps:

1. Heat the vegetable oil to 350 degrees in a large frying pan. 
2. Crush the Tostitos Cantina Traditional Chips in their bag with a mallet, or pulse them in a food processor for 30 seconds until finely ground.
3. Dip the sliced onions in the egg whites, then toss them in the crushed chips.
4. Place them in the heated oil in batches, and fry them in the oil for about 30 seconds, until the onions are transparent and the chips are dark golden brown.

To build the sliders:

1. Cut the pretzel rolls in half and place the bottom half on a serving dish. 
2. Place about 2 tbsp. of the Mountain Dew Avocado Citrus Slaw on the bottom half of the pretzel rolls.
3. Place about 2 tbsp. of the Chipotle Wild Cherry Pepsi Short Ribs on top of the slaw.
4. Place about 2 tbsp. of the Tostitos Crusted Crispy Onions on top of the short ribs. 
5. Place the top half of the bun on top of the onions and serve immediately.