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An overhead shot of a light blue plate holding three braised short rib tacos garnished with pickled red onions and fresh cilantro on a pink surface. A blue cloth sits alongside the plate.

Smoky-Sweet Braised Beef Short Rib Tacos (Meltingly Tender!)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 4 hours
  • Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: serves 6-8 1x
  • Category: Tacos, Burritos & Enchiladas Recipes
  • Method: Stovetop, Braise
  • Cuisine: Mexican & Tex-Mex-Inspired, American

Description

Smoky, sweet, and fall-apart tender—these Braised Beef Short Rib Tacos take taco night to the next level!

Bone-in beef short ribs simmer low and slow in a bold chipotle-brown sugar sauce, with earthy beer adding rich depth of flavor.

The result? Juicy, melt-in-your-mouth braised short rib taco meat ready to pile onto warm tortillas with all your favorite toppings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 pounds English-cut beef short ribs (approx. 6 short ribs, see Recipe Notes)
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 12 ounces light beer of choice (see Recipe Notes)
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 2 large limes, juiced (approx. ⅓ cup)
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1-2 cups beef broth/stock or water, as needed

Instructions

  1. Prep: 30 minutes – 1 hour before you’d like to begin cooking, pull the beef short ribs from the refrigerator and allow them to come up to room temperature. Just before cooking, use a paper towel to pat the ribs as dry as possible. Season liberally with kosher salt and ground black pepper; a good rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon kosher salt per pound of short ribs.An overhead shot of raw short ribs seasoned with salt and pepper on a small sheet pan alongside dishes of salt and pepper on a pink surface.
  2. Blend the smoky-sweet braising sauce: Meanwhile, add remaining ingredients (beer – oregano) to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth.An overhead shot of blended braising liquid in the bowl of a food processor sitting on a pink surface. Juiced lime halves and dishes of brown sugar and chipotle peppers sit alongside the food processor.
  3. Brown the short ribs: Add the vegetable oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a tight fitting lid over medium-high heat (I use a 5-qt Dutch oven). Once hot and shimmering, carefully add the seasoned short ribs – work in batches, if necessary, to avoid overcrowding the pot. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until browned well. Transfer the browned short ribs to a plate and set aside. Repeat with any remaining short ribs as needed. Once all of the short ribs are browned, carefully drain off the drippings from the pot and discard or reserve for later use.An overhead shot of browned short ribs in a large white dutch oven atop a pink surface.
  4. Braise the beef short ribs: Nestle the browned short ribs in the Dutch oven. Add in the bay leaves and pour in the braising sauce. Turn the short ribs once or twice, coating them in the sauce. Return the pot to medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and braise for 3 ½ – 4 hours, until the short ribs are fall off the bone tender. I suggest checking on the ribs every 30 minutes or so and adding a splash of beef stock or water if needed. (See Recipe Notes for alternate cooking methods.)An overhead shot of braising liquid being poured over browned short ribs and bay leaves in a white dutch oven atop a pink surface.
  5. Shred the short ribs: Once the ribs are tender, transfer them to a cutting board. Use tongs or 2 forks to shred the short ribs into bite-sized pieces, discarding the bones as you go. Return the shredded short ribs to the pot with the smoky-sweet sauce. Stir to combine.An overhead shot of shredded short ribs in braising liquid in a large white dutch oven atop a pink surface.
  6. Serve: Build your braised short rib tacos on charred corn tortillas with any fixings you love. I like swooping whipped avocado crema over a warm tortilla, piling the shredded beef over top, and finishing with punchy pickled red onions and chopped cilantro. Of course, classic salsa and guacamole are great too—whatever you like best! Enjoy!A close-up macro shot of a light blue plate holding three braised short rib tacos garnished with pickled red onions and fresh cilantro on a pink surface.

Equipment

Notes

Jess’ Tips and Tricks:

  • Beef short ribs: There are 2 common cuts of beef short ribs: flanken beef short ribs (long strips cut across the bone, which you may recognize from Korean-style kalbi) and English-cut beef short ribs (hearty pieces cut along the bone). For a slowly simmered dish, like this beer braised short rib tacos recipe, opt for English-cut. These days, you can find English-cut beef short ribs at most conventional grocery stores with a nice butcher section. For best results, choose meaty ribs with nice marbling. Easy substitutions: Using bone-in short ribs creates more depth of flavor, though boneless short ribs work just as well in this recipe. If you have trouble finding beef short ribs, feel free to use beef chuck roast instead.
  • Suggested beer and substitutes: I love making this recipe with a Mexican lager (e.g. Pacifico, Modelo). If you prefer a bolder beer flavor, use your favorite ale or IPA. Easy substitutions: For gluten-free short rib tacos, simply use your favorite gluten-free beer. If you do not wish to cook your short ribs with beer, simply swap it for 1 ½ cups beef stock or broth.

Alternate Cooking Methods:

  • Oven-Braised Short Rib Tacos: Prep the recipe according to Steps 1-4, above. Rather than braising on the stovetop, transfer the covered pot to a 325 degree F oven. Braise in the oven for 3 ½ – 4 hours, until the beef short ribs are fall-apart tender, then finish as described in Steps 5-6.
  • Crockpot / Slow Cooker Short Rib Tacos: Prep the recipe according to Steps 1-3, above. Transfer the browned short ribs to the slow cooker, along with the aromatics and beer braising liquid as directed in Step 4. Slow cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours, stirring occasionally. Finish as described in Steps 5-6. (*Note: If your slow cooker has a searing/browning feature, you can use it to cook the entire recipe (Steps 1-5) in the slow cooker.)
  • Instant Pot Short Rib Tacos: Use your Instant Pot’s “Sauté” setting to cook the recipe according to Steps 1-4, above. Cover and seal the pressure cooker and cook on manual high pressure for 50 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes before carefully flicking the valve to its “venting” position to vent out any residual pressure. Finish as described in Steps 5-6.

Storage and Freezing:

  • Storage and Reheating: Transfer any leftover braised short ribs and sauce to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through.
  • Freezer Instructions: These beer braised short ribs are also incredibly freezer-friendly. To freeze, transfer the short ribs and any leftover sauce to a freezer container (or divide it up between multiple freezer containers for smaller portions – Souper Cubes are my fave!). Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or submerge the freezer container in room temperature water for a quicker thaw. Reheat on the stovetop until warmed through and adjust as needed – if the sauce is a little watery at first, simply allow any residual water simmer out; if it is too thick, simply add in a splash of water or stock until your desired consistency is reached. 

Find it online: https://playswellwithbutter.com/beef-short-rib-tacos/