Slow Cooker Short Rib Tacos

Close up of juicy short rib beef in flour tortillas on a dark wooden surface.

5 from 8 votes

These slow cooker Short Rib Tacos are so incredibly melt-in-your-mouth tender and full of sweet n’ spicy, deep, rich flavor. And even better the next day!

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 5

Total Time 5 20

Servings servings

Calories 440kcal

Author Kim Peterson

Equipment

Ingredients

Short Ribs

3 dried ancho chiles
2 dried guajillo chiles
2 dried chipotle chiles
1 onion , cut into chunks
4 garlic cloves , peeled
⅓ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon adobo sauce
1 teaspoon each ground cumin, smoked paprika, kosher salt and black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 ½ cups beef broth
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 ½ pounds boneless beef short ribs or 6 pounds bone-in
2 bay leaves
corn or flour tortillas , warmed

Taco Toppings

queso fresco or cotija cheese
sliced jalapeños
sliced red onion
fresh cilantro
lime wedges

Instructions

With a sharp knife or scissors, remove stems from chiles and shake out the seeds.
Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the dried chiles, reduce the heat and simmer until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain and discard the liquid.
Place the peppers in a blender or food processor and add the onion, garlic, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, adobo, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, cayenne, and beef broth. Puree until smooth.
Pat ribs dry and generously season with kosher salt and black pepper. Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the ribs on all sides in 2 batches, about 6-7 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned ribs to a 6-8 quart slow cooker.
Pour the pureed chile sauce over the ribs. The sauce will reach about halfway up sides of the meat. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low 5-7* hours until fall-apart tender.
Skim as much fat as you can off the top. Allow the ribs to cool a little in the sauce before transferring them to a cutting board to shred.
You can shred the meat with your hands or with 2 forks. Place the shredded meat back into the sauce in the slow cooker pot. Serve immediately with warm tortillas and toppings or let cool and refrigerate.
Short ribs will last 5 days in the fridge or freeze up to 3 months. If frozen, let thaw completely and reheat in the slow cooker or in a pot on the stove over medium heat.

Notes

*Actual length of cooking time may vary according to individual slow cooker. The one I have gets hot so I stick to the lower end of the time range.

**See post for Braising and Instant Pot instructions.

Recipe Tips

Short Ribs: You can also use bone-in short ribs or a blend of the two. Buy more when using bone-in because they’re heavier and discard the bones when shredding the meat. Let the short ribs come to room temperature for 45-60 minutes before cooking.

Dried Peppers: Remove their seeds unless you’re looking for super spicy tacos. But don’t go crazy; a few left behind are fine.

Adjust Seasoning: Once the shredded beef is stirred into the sauce, give it a taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.

Nutrition