The Best Braised Chipotle Short Rib Tacos

These Braised Chipotle Short Rib Tacos are rich, smoky, and fall-apart tender! Slow-cooked in a flavorful chipotle sauce, the short ribs are perfect for stuffing into warm tortillas and topping with your favorite fresh ingredients.

Looking For Your New Favorite Taco Recipe?

I’m serious when I say these braised chipotle short rib tacos have become my favorite taco recipe! And if you’re like me and absolutely LOVE tacos, that’s saying something! The short ribs are slow cooked in a flavorful chipotle sauce until the meat is fall apart tender. These are perfect with warm tortillas topped with crumble queso fresco and pickled red onion for a little crunch and tanginess. They are sure to be your new go-to comfort food recipe!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• So Easy to Make – These tacos are slow cooked in a Dutch oven, so yes, they take some time but are so so easy to put together. In under 30 minutes, you can have everything prepped and in the Dutch oven and now you just have to wait for those amazing fall apart tender short ribs!
• Melt-in-Your-Mouth Tenderness – Slow-braising makes the short ribs incredibly tender and juicy. You will love every bite!
• Make-Ahead Friendly – The short ribs get even better as they sit, making this a great prep-ahead meal.
• Versatile Serving Options – Enjoy them in tacos, rice bowls, or even over nachos for a flavorful twist.
• Perfect for Entertaining – A crowd-pleaser that’s great for taco nights, dinner parties, or game days.
• Customizable Toppings – Pair with pickled red onions, queso fresco, guacamole, or any of your favorite toppings.

Here’s Everything You’ll Need

• Bone-In Short Ribs
• Salt and Pepper
• Avocado Oil
• Sweet or Yellow Onion
• Garlic
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Oregano
• Cumin
• Chipotles in Adobe
• Canned Crushed Tomatoes
• Beef Stock

For Slow Cooking: I’m using a Dutch oven, but you could also use a crockpot or instant pot.

For Serving: I love to serve these braised chipotle short rib tacos with warm tortillas (heated over an open flame is my favorite!), crumbled queso fresco and pickled red onions.

Let’s Make Tacos!

1. Begin by preheating your oven to 350℉. Gather and prepare all of your ingredients. Season the short ribs generously with salt and pepper on all sides. Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic.
2. Heat the oil in the Dutch oven over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the short ribs and sear on all sides until browned. Remove and set aside.
3. Add the onion, garlic, cumin, oregano and apple cider vinegar to the Dutch oven and sauté until onion and garlic is fragrant. Add in the chipotles in adobe and crushed tomatoes and let that cook together for a couple minutes.
4. Stir in the beef stock and bring to a simmer. Add the short ribs back into the Dutch oven. Cover and place in the oven for 2.5-3 hours.
5. Once the short ribs are falling off the bone tender, remove and shred the meat. Mix the shredded meat back into the braising liquid. Serve the short ribs with warm tortillas, crumbled queso fresco and pickled onions! Enjoy!

Braised Chipotle Short Rib Tacos

These Braised Chipotle Short Rib Tacos are rich, smoky, and fall-apart tender! Slow-cooked in a flavorful chipotle sauce, the short ribs are perfect for stuffing into warm tortillas and topping with your favorite fresh ingredients.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 6

Calories 415 kcal

Equipment

• Dutch Oven

Ingredients

  

• 2 lbs bone-in beef short ribs
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp avocado oil or any neutral cooking oil
• ½ sweet or yellow onion finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp cumin
• ½ cup chipotles in adobe sauce chopped
• 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups beef stock

For Serving

• warm tortillas flour or corn
• crumbled queso fresco optional
• pickled red onion optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350℉. Prep your ingredients. Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper.
• Heat avocado oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat. Once oil is hot, add in your seasoned short ribs. Sear the short ribs on all sides until browned. Remove and set aside.
• Add the onion, garlic, oregano, cumin and apple cider vinegar to the dutch oven. Mix and let them cook together for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the chipotles in adobe and crushed tomatoes and let that cook together for another 2 minutes.
• Stir in the beef stock and bring to a simmer.
• Add the short ribs back into the dutch oven. Cover and place in the oven for 2½-3 hours. Once they are falling off the bone tender, remove from the dutch oven and shred the meat, removing the bones, and add the meat back into the chipotle sauce. Serve with warm tortillas, red pickled onions and crumbled queso fresco.

Notes

• After removing the short ribs from the over, you may skim and remove any fat from the top of the braising liquid that may have rendered off while cooking. 
• To serve, I love topping these tacos with tangy pickled red onions and crumbled queso fresco. Guacamole, chopped raw onions, or any of your favorite toppings would also pair perfectly.

Keyword braised short ribs, chipotle in adobe, dutch oven