When there’s a fall chill in the air, executive chef Jeremy Pacheco of Lon’s at the Hermosa Inn prefers to eat his meals outdoors and his meats to be braised. “It’s comfort food and as it gets cooler, you want some heartier food.” Enter braised beef short ribs – a staple on Lon’s menu as well as on Pacheco’s home table.

When preparing the short ribs, Pacheco advises seasoning the meat generously so that it penetrates the beef. “It’s a fairly thick cut of meat and you can’t season the inside,” he says. Another tip: Be sure to use a hot pan to initially sear the meat because that will help seal in the flavor.

Until recently, Pacheco served the short ribs with creamy polenta, but this year he’s offering a cheddar polenta cake, which he says adds a nice texture. “You cut into the polenta and the cheese curds just ooze out once it’s cooked.”

You had us at cheese curds. Actually, you had us at braised meat.