Recipe

Fall-off-the-bone tender beef short ribs cooked low and slow in a smoky adobo sauce that make the best tacos!

Since the crockpot does all the work, these short rib tacos are one epic family dinner idea that comes together effortlessly.

Short Rib Tacos in the Crockpot

Laura fuentes holding a skillet of food standing in front of a blue door

These beef tacos are so good, I had to include them in page 112 of my Taco Tuesday Cookbook. The crockpot is a great place to cook short ribs for making tacos because it yields fall-off-the-bone beef. Trust me, you’ll make this recipe on repeat. The chipotle peppers in adobo sauce add a depth of smoky flavor that puts the Mexican in these tacos.

What are Short Ribs?

The short rib is a cut of beef that comes from the chuck section of the cow. It’s called this way because the meat includes a short piece of the rib bone. When you cook this meat on low heat for a long period of time, it turns out delicious and super tender.

Ingredients

Beef short ribs are the star of this recipe. For incredible flavor, you’ll need chipotle peppers, garlic, tomato paste, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, seasonings, beef stock, white onion, and, if you have, bay leaves.

How to Make Short Rib Tacos

Check the video recipe below and the easy steps to make these short rib tacos in the slow cooker:

Brown the meat.
Brown the beef ribs in the skillet in batches, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Make the sauce.
Meanwhile, make the adobo sauce by mixing the ingredients in the blender.
Cook the meat.
Cook the ribs with the sauce in the slow cooker: 6 hours on high or 10 hours on low. Then, simply fill the tortillas and enjoy!

What to Serve with Short Rib Tacos

Serve these short rib tacos with cilantro lime rice, a fresh mint watermelon salad, a Southwest quinoa salad, or some black bean and corn salsa with avocado. And what is taco night without a delicious cocktail? My favorite for these tacos is a refreshing and bubbly Dr. Pepper Margarita!

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Short Rib Tacos

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 6

Fall-off-the-bone tender beef short ribs cooked low and slow in a smoky adobo sauce that make the best tacos!

5 from 25 votes

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Watch how it’s made:

Ingredients

For the short ribs:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 pounds beef short ribs, fat trimmed
1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 ounces tomato paste
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon salt
½ cup beef stock
1 large white onion, finely chopped
2 bay leaves, optional

For the tacos:

12 corn or flour tortillas, store bought or homemade, warmed
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced
Pico de Gallo
Sour cream

Instructions

Brown the meat:

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Begin to brown the beef ribs in batches until browned on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place them inside a large slow cooker once they’ve browned.

Make the sauce:

In a blender, combine the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, garlic, tomato paste, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, cumin, salt, and beef stock. Blend until the sauce is homogenous. Transfer to the slow cooker and pour over the beef. Add half of the chopped onion, reserving the remaining half for serving, and the bay leaves.

Cook the meat:

Cover and cook for 6 hours on high or 10 hours on low, until the meat is falling off the bone.
Remove the ribs from the sauce. Remove any excess fat from the ribs; discard the bones and shred the meat. Using a slarge spoon, skim the fat from the surface of the sauce in the slow cooker. Transfer the meat back to the slow cooker and combine with the sauce.