Slow Cooker Short Rib Tacos

Up until a few years ago, I never really cooked with short ribs. Big mistake. I now have a number of short rib recipes in rotation, and these tacos are one of our favorites. The meat is always moist and perfectly tender, which is a must for any shredded beef tacos.

I almost always have this recipe in the freezer–whether uncooked and frozen in the spices/broth, or cooked and frozen in its cooking juices. Since I usually have the topping ingredients on hand, it makes for a pretty easy meal to put together. It is also one of our go-to meals when we have others over for dinner or when I take meals to friends, since it is reliably delicious every time we make it.

Slow Cooker Short Rib Tacos

 

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Ingredients

• 2-3 lbs. beef short ribs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup beef broth
• About 8-10 small corn tortillas
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• ¼ of a head of green cabbage, shredded
• ¼ cup crumbled Queso Fresco cheese
• 2 avocados, sliced

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin. Place short ribs in crockpot, and sprinkle with spice mix. Pour broth over the top. Cook on low, for about 6-8 hours or until meat is very tender. If possible, flip meat over a few times while cooking.
2. Once done cooking, remove short ribs and shred meat. Mix together the zest and juice of lime with the sour cream. Warm tortillas, one at a time, in a small skillet over medium heat. Serve meat warm on top of tortillas. Top with sour cream, limes, cabbage, cheese, and avocados.

Notes

If using smaller boneless ribs, check the meat after about 5 hours, as they will likely cook faster.

Freezing: Combine uncooked short ribs, broth, and spices together in a gallon freezer bag. Remove air and then freeze. Defrost and cook according to directions. Cooked meat can also be frozen in smaller bags with a little bit of the cooking juice.

Source: Adapted from How Sweet Eats

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