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Barbacoa Tacos are the ultimate way to enjoy rich, melt-in-your-mouth beef with bold, authentic flavors. These Slow Cooker Barbacoa Tacos feature short ribs cooked low and slow until the meat falls effortlessly off the bone, then tucked into warm tortillas and topped with creamy avocado.
If you’ve been looking for a Barbacoa Tacos recipe that’s easy, flavorful, and family-friendly, this one delivers. Using the slow cooker means all the hard work is done for you, making these hearty Slow Cooker tacos perfect for weeknight dinners or weekend feasts.
What Makes This Recipe Work
These Barbacoa Tacos work so well because the slow cooking method transforms short ribs into fall-off-the-bone perfection. The rich barbacoa flavors slowly build as the beef simmers, creating tender, juicy meat that’s ideal for stuffing into tortillas. Unlike a basic taco night, this Barbacoa Tacos recipe feels special and hearty, yet it is simple enough for anyone to master.
Another reason people love these Slow Cooker Barbacoa Tacos is the convenience. With just a few minutes of prep, the slow cooker does all the heavy lifting, leaving you with perfectly seasoned beef ready to serve. Add your favorite toppings like avocado, onion, and cilantro, and you have Slow Cooker tacos that are comforting, satisfying, and downright irresistible.
What Goes Into Barbacoa Tacos
This Barbacoa Tacos recipe uses bold, smoky flavors paired with tender short ribs that practically melt in your mouth.
- Beef Short Ribs: Trimmed of excess fat, these provide incredible depth and tenderness as they slowly cook into fall-apart perfection.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo: Smoky, spicy, and tangy, these peppers and their sauce give the tacos that signature barbacoa kick.
- Lime Juice: Freshly squeezed lime brightens the rich beef and balances out the smoky flavors.
- Corn Tortillas: Warm, soft tortillas are the perfect vessel to hold all that tender beef and your favorite toppings like avocado, onion, and cilantro.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make Barbacoa Tacos
- Prep and Sear: Trim excess fat from the short ribs, then heat oil in a skillet over medium-high. Brown the ribs in batches for 3–4 minutes per side until golden, and transfer to the slow cooker.
- Mix the Sauce: In a jug, whisk together chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, onion, garlic, barbecue sauce, lime juice, vinegar, bay leaves, cumin, salt, and beef broth until well blended.
- Cook Low and Slow: Pour the sauce mixture over the short ribs in the slow cooker. Cover and cook for 6 hours on high or 10–12 hours on low until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Shred the Beef: Remove the ribs from the sauce, discard the bones, and shred the meat with two forks. Skim any excess fat from the sauce and mix it back into the shredded beef.
- Warm the Tortillas: Heat the corn tortillas until soft and pliable, either in a dry skillet or wrapped in foil in the oven, so they are ready to be filled.
- Assemble the Tacos: Fill the tortillas with beef and spoon over extra sauce. Top with avocado, onion, cilantro, and sour cream or crema before serving hot.
Pair your Barbacoa Tacos with Creamy Roasted Tomato Basil Soup for a rich, tangy side that balances the smoky flavors of the beef. The smooth tomato base and fresh basil make each bite of taco taste even brighter and more satisfying.
For a hearty spread, add Crispy Garlic Butter Parmesan Smashed Potatoes alongside, giving you the perfect mix of crunch and comfort. Round out the meal with a fresh Avocado Feta Cucumber Salad, which adds a cool, crisp contrast to the warm, savory tacos.
Recipe FAQ’s
Beef short ribs or chuck roast are the most common cuts for Barbacoa Tacos since they turn tender and flavorful after long, slow cooking.
They can be slightly spicy from the chipotle peppers in adobo, but you can adjust the heat by using fewer peppers or adding extra sauce for more kick.
Fresh avocado, diced onion, cilantro, and sour cream or Mexican crema are classic toppings that complement the smoky beef.
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Slow Cooker Barbacoa Short Rib Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 6 pounds beef short ribs fat trimmed
- 4 chiptole peppers in adobo sauce chopped, plus the adobo sauce
- 1 white onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced, or 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/4 cup lime juice freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 cup beef broth stock
- 12 corn tortillas warm
Optional Fillings:
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves chopped fresh, or parsley if you don't like cilantro
- 1/2 onion diced
- 2 avocados sliced
- 1 teaspoon sour cream or Mexican Crema
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Trim as much visible fat as possible from each rib (optional but helps lessen the fat content). Brown the ribs in batches until browned on both sides (about 3-4 minutes each side, per batch). Transfer the browned ribs to a 6 litre slow cooker.
- In a large jug, combine the chipotles, chipotle sauce, onion, garlic, barbecue sauce, lime juice, vinegar, bay leaves, cumin, salt, and broth together. Whisk well and pour over the ribs. Cover and cook for 6 hours on high or 10-12 hours on low, until the meat is falling off the bone. Allow the ribs to cool slightly in the sauce.
- Remove the ribs from the sauce. Remove any excess fat from the ribs; discard the bones and shred the meat. Using a metal spoon, skim the fat from the surface of the sauce in the slow cooker and discard. Mix the sauce into the meat and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon the meat and sauce into warm corn tortillas and serve with chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, the avocado slices and sour cream (or Crema).
For Oven Method:
- Once browned, place ribs in 2 large aluminium lined baking pan (or heavy based casserole pot). In a large jug, combine the chipotles, chipotle sauce, onion, garlic, barbecue sauce, lime juice, vinegar, bay leaves, cumin, salt, and broth together; cover baking pan and slow cook in the oven at 175°C | 350°F for 4 hours or until falling off the bone.
For Pressure Cooker:
- Brown ribs in the cooker pot in batches until all browned. Transfer to a plate. Add the peppers, onion and garlic, and saute until onion is transparent. Add the rest of the ingredients (from barbecue sauce to broth), mix them well, then add the ribs back to the cooker pot. Cover and lock lid in place. Select High Pressure (or Meat / Poultry setting) and 50 minutes cook time. When cook time is complete, do a natural pressure release for 10 minutes and then release any remaining pressure (or follow your pressure cooker manufacturers instructions).
Notes
- Flavour is improved if cooked 1-2 days ahead.
- For leftovers: Cool completely first; cover and refrigerate on a ceramic plate (or in the same slow cooker bowl. Ensure the bowl is completely cold first). Remove any solidified fat before reheating.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I went ahead and blended the sauce, then poured it over the ribs.
Outstanding, so delicious another amazing recipe by Karina!
TY
Hi Karina
i have done this recipe and it is absolutely amazing can i try making with chicken breasts with the bones?
Thanks,
Dawn
Works great in an instapot. I used 4 short ribs (I didn’t check the weight), 2 chipotles in some adobo (basically half of a can). and didn’t cut back on any other ingredients. Set on high for 45 mins. Boom! done. Shredded with some of the onions and sauce. Made tacos with some guac (onion, tomato, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice). Saving/freezing the left over sauce to use again for the next time.
i used boneless short ribs. I didn’t use the barbecue sauce because I didn’t think that it would taste “authentic”. I added more chipotle peppers and sauce to offset the missing barbecue sauce. it was delicious. My family loved it.
Made this tonight with only 2 lbs of boneless short ribs and it was great. It needed less time in the slow cooker which was a win. Thank you for this great recipe!
I tried making this (with only 1lb short rib for 2 people + half of the rest of the ingredients) It was good but I didn’t get a sauce! Instead the onion,cumin,chipotle,beef stock etc just burned and crumbled at the bottom of the pan. Is this because of the lack of juices from the other 5lbs of shortrib?
I think that you are right. I was able to catch mine before it burned. The bottom was dark and think. I would suggest more beef broth.
This was FABULOUS!!! I skipped the bay leaves and cumin and reduced the Chipotle to half of one pepper (I’m very sensitive to spice) and it was AMAZING!!
Also, I made the recipe in my instant pot which really reduced the time: 45 minutes on high pressure and then 15 minutes natural release. It was fall off the bone and so tender and delicious. This will now be my go to recipe for meat! Can’t wait to try with other cuts of meat!
This was INCREDIBLE! I grilled pineapple in the skillet that still had the juices from the sauce and added them to the tacos. The fresh sweetness from them was everything. I also had various other latin inspired season alls that i added to the sauce for extra flavor. Sooooo incredobly good and easy.
Thank you!
I’ve never made a Cafe Delites recipe my family didn’t love and this one is no exception! I used about 5 lbs of boneless short ribs and there was plenty of meat left over. We’ll be having leftovers in quesadillas for sure. Yum!!