Rich, fork tender short ribs get a Mexican lift with this spicy version. This Mexican short ribs recipe is super juicy and bursting with the flavors of chipotle peppers, cumin, and garlic. This luscious meat makes incredible tacos. And super easy too, cooks low and slow in the slow cooker!
Recipe first posted on August 28, 2018. Last updated with clearer instructions on February 13, 2024.
I had the best tacos of my life last month in Tijuana. They were beef birria tacos in the most perfect chili sauce-drenched tortillas and were the quintessential combination of simple street food meets restorative cuisine.
But that happens every time I go to Mexico—just when I feel like I’ve eaten the best taco of my life, I find a new one I can’t live without. I fall more deeply in love with tacos each passing day.
So when Laura Fuentes new book The Taco Tuesday Cookbook arrived at my doorstep I couldn’t wait to dig in.
There are tons of options in this book for taco night but I couldn’t resist these smoky slow cooker beef short rib tacos.
Why You Must Try This Mexican Short Ribs Recipe
- Versatile. Like all Mexican recipes they offer a flavorful filling that is perfect for tacos, flautas, tostadas, or burritos.
- Delicious leftovers. Tastes even better the next day!
- Ultimate comfort food.
- Meltingly tender ribs. The long cooking time turns the tough cut of meat into tender perfection.
- Ease. Super simple, the slow cooker does all the work.
Ingredients
See recipe card for exact amounts.
- Vegetable oil or other neutral oil like avocado or grapeseed oil.
- Bone-in beef short ribs. See FAQ’s for other options.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Check out my favorite brands of canned chipotles.
- Garlic cloves. Aromatic flavor base.
- Tomato paste. For a slight sweetness and to add thickness to the sauce.
- Fresh lime juice
- Apple cider vinegar. To add tartness that will liven up the flavors.
- Cumin. For floral Mexican flavor.
- Kosher salt. I always use Morton kosher salt unless otherwise specified.
- Beef broth or chicken stock
- White onion. Half for the sauce and half for garnish.
- Bay leaves or dried Mexican oregano
- Tortillas. Corn or flour tortillas.
- Avocado
- Fresh cilantro. For garnish (optional)
- Radishes. For garnish (optional)
How To Make This Recipe (Step-by-Step Instructions)
step one
Brown the ribs. Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add short ribs in batches and cook until golden brown on both sides. Transfer the browned short ribs to the slow cooker. You will need a 6-quart-size slow cooker or larger for this recipe.
step two
Blend the sauce. Combine the whole chipotles, garlic, tomato paste, lime juice, vinegar, cumin, the tablespoon of salt, half of the onion, and beef broth in the blender. Blend until smooth.
step three
Cook. Pour the sauce over the ribs and add the bay leaves. Set on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours or until meat is fall-off-the-bone tender.
step four
Shred. Remove the ribs from the braising liquid and discard the bones and any extra fat or gristle. Shred the meat. Using a spoon skim the extra fat from the sauce. Then return the meat to the sauce and stir to combine.
step five
Serve! Tuck the tender meat into warm corn tortillas and top with a little bit of the sauce, some avocado, chopped cilantro, thinly sliced radishes, and the other half of the minced onion. Other garnishes could include a dollop of sour cream or thinly sliced cabbage would also be good!
How To Make Short Rib Tacos on the Stove Top
I have also made these in my trusty Le Creuset Braiser on the stove top. Here’s how:
Brown the ribs over medium high heat as indicated in step 1 in a large Dutch oven and transfer them to a large plate instead of the slow cooker. Then I pour off most of the fat from the large pot and brown the onions instead of adding them to the sauce.
Blend the sauce ingredients as directed (without the onions).
After the onions are soft, and just starting to brown, deglaze the pan with an extra cup of beef broth, pour the chipotle sauce in the pan, and returned the ribs to the pot.
Bring the whole thing to a boil, then reduced it to a low simmer. Cover the pot and let them cook over low heat for 2 hours or until they were falling off the bone. You could also stick them in a low oven (about 300°F, covered, for the same amount of time).
Then pick up the recipe in step 4.
What To Serve With These Tacos
These tacos are rich and luscious with a smoky sauce that would go perfect with any number of bean dishes like my sofrito black beans, borracho beans, or charro beans.
For a flavored rice try, Arroz Blanco (Mexican white rice with vegetables), Instant Pot Mexican rice, or Arroz Verde (green rice).
As for veggies, go with something fresh and crunchy like my cucumber salad, quick pickled red onions, or of course, Mexican street corn goes with everything.
Mexican Short Ribs Recipe FAQ’s
Can I use a different cut of meat? This is a perfect recipe for any tougher cuts of meat. If you use boneless cuts like chuck roast or boneless short ribs, use 3-4 pounds of meat. The bones account for a lot of the weight.
Is this super spicy? You can make it as spicy as you’d like. If you are worried about the spice level start with only 2 chipotles then adjust with more or less chiles the next time you make it. Or add more chopped chipotles after the meat is tender.
What can I make with the rest of the can of chipotles? I’ve got 35 recipes right here!
Top 5 Most Popular Mexican Beef Recipes
- Tangy Green Tomato and Beef Chili
- The Best Carne Picada Recipe
- Carne Deshebrada (Shredded Beef For Tacos)
- Classic Steak Fajitas
- Instant Pot Barbacoa
Find Your New Favorite Taco Recipe!
Give this Mexican short ribs recipe a try and let me know when you do by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! Also, sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!
Fiery Slow Cooker Mexican Short Rib Tacos Recipe
Rich, fork tender short ribs get a Mexican lift with this spicy version. This luscious meat makes incredible tacos. And super easy too, cooks low and slow in the slow cooker!
Recipe courtesy of Laura Fuentes from The Taco Tuesday Cookbook
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 6 pounds beef short ribs, fat trimmed
- 1 (7-ounce) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 (4-ounce) can or tube tomato paste
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1 large white onion, half large dice and half minced for garnish
- 2 bay leaves
- 12 warm corn or flour tortillas
- OPTIONAL GARNISHES: 2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced, Fresh cilantro, thinly sliced cabbage, thinly sliced radishes, lime wedges, sour cream, or pickled onions
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the 1 tablespoon 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 6-quart slow cooker once they've browned.
- In a blender, combine the whole can of chipotle peppers with the adobo sauce, 4 cloves garlic, can of tomato paste, 1/4 cup lime juice, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1/2 cup beef broth, and the 1/2 chopped onion (mince the remaining half for serving). Blend until the sauce is homogenous. Transfer to the slow cooker and pour over the beef. Add the bay leaves.
- Cover and cook for 6 hours on high or 10 hours on low, until the meat is falling off the bone. Moving the ribs in the sauce every once in a while so they cook evenly.
- Remove the ribs from the sauce. Remove any excess fat from the ribs; discard the bones and shred the meat. Using a large 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.
- Serve the beef inside warm tortillas and top with the reserved minced onions, avocado, cilantro, and a lime wedge for squeezing.
Notes
- Stove-top method: This recipe calls for a slow cooker, see the blog post for instructions on how to make them in a Dutch oven on the stove.
- Short Ribs: 6 pounds may seem like a ton of meat but the bones make up a lot of the weight. These make about 12 tacos.
- Make-ahead/storage: This tastes even better the next day. Cool, completely then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before rewarming.
- Spiciness: An entire can of chipotles may seem like a lot but the spiciness gets mellowed out by the richness of the beef. Add more or less chipotles depending on how spicy you like things.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1407Total Fat: 92gSaturated Fat: 37gTrans Fat: 5gUnsaturated Fat: 53gCholesterol: 340mgSodium: 1436mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 7gSugar: 4gProtein: 96g
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