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Wooden board topped with four Sweet Heat Barbeque Braised Rib Tacos.
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4.64 from 11 votes

Sweet Heat BBQ Braised Rib Tacos 

These Sweet Heat BBQ Braised Rib Tacos are the perfect easy dish for the summer or any season. Packed with bold, savory flavors--this recipe is a sure crowd pleaser and is finger-licking goodness on a plate. Slow Cooker option available.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Keyword: baked, bbq, braised, dinner, easy, food, homemade, indulge, lunch, recipe, savory, slow cooker, southern, spicy, summer, sweet, tacos
Servings: 12 Tacos
Calories: 515kcal
Author: Shanika

Ingredients

BBQ BRAISED RIBS:

  • 6 lbs. Beef Short Ribs, fat trimmed
  • 2 Tbsps Sweeet Heat Southern BBQ Blend (See Notes!)
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (See Notes!)
  • 2 tsps red pepper flakes (Reduce for less heat)
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 Tbsps Extra Virgin Olive oil (See Notes!)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ medium onion, diced
  • 1 large bell pepper, pitted + diced
  • 1 cup organic chicken or beef broth
  • 2-3 cups BBQ sauce, homemade or store-bought (See Notes!)

TACOS:

  • Small soft flour tortillas, lightly toasted (See Notes!)
  • 1 Choice of greens (arugula, spinach, kale, lettuce, etc.)
  • Tomatoes, sliced
  • Jalapeños, chopped
  • Shredded cheese, optional
  • Sour cream (See Notes!)
  • Your favorite sauce/condiment (I used Yellowbird Sauce Habanero Hot Sauce)

Instructions

TO MAKE THE BRAISED BBQ RIBS:

  • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Season the beef ribs and let sit for 10-15 minutes so that seasoning infuses into meat. **NOTE: Seasoning meat overnight creates best results.**
  • Add 1-2 Tbsps of Extra Virgin Olive oil (or grapeseed oil if preferred) to a large dutch pot on medium heat and add diced onions and garlic and stir frequently until translucent and fragrant, about 2 minutes or so.
  • Add seasoned beef ribs and allow them to brown on one side, about 3-4 minutes, before turning them to their opposite side to brown as well.
  • Once fully browned, remove ribs (and set aside) from pot and add chicken broth and bell peppers and scrape bottom of pot to get all seasonings and browned bits of flavor. Now, slowly stir in BBQ sauce until well combined.
  • Add beef ribs in again, stirring once or twice to coat everything and place lid over dutch pot.
  • Place the dutch pot with ribs in the oven and bake for 3-4 hours, turning the ribs to their opposite sides midway through the time.
  • Once the sauce has completely thickened and the ribs are tender enough that they've 'fallen off their bones', carefully remove the dutch pot from the oven and let sit for a few minutes, about 10-15 minutes.  **NOTE: Having oven on broil in the last 10 minutes of cooking should thicken sauce if it still hasn't thickened all the way. **
  • Once cooled, begin 'shredding' the ribs using a knife and fork or two forks. Set meat aside.

ASSEMBLE THE TACOS:

  • To serve, lightly toast your flour tortillas, then assemble tacos by: adding your choice of greens (spinach, arugula, lettuce, etc), then shredded ribs, tomatoes, jalapeños, cheese (optional), sour cream, and your favorite sauce/condiment (I used Yellowbird Sauce Habanero Hot Sauce).
  • Repeat until all tacos are assembled.
  • Bon Appetit!

Notes

  • SWEEET HEAT BBQ SOUTHERN BLEND: To purchase this seasoning, visit their site here.
  • TURMERIC: In case you weren’t aware, Turmeric has some awesome health benefits that are often overlooked! One of it’s main ingredients, Curcumin, has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This ingredient is also linked to improving Brain function and lowering the risks of Brain diseases.
  • OIL: If preferred, you can also use Grapeseed oil instead of Extra Virgin Olive oil.
  • BBQ SAUCE: If you choose to use a store-bought version, my favorite brand is Stubb's BBQ Sauce.
  • HOMEMADE BBQ SAUCE: 15 oz. can of tomato sauce, ¾ cups water, ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, 2 Tbsps sriracha sauce, 2 tsps ground mustard, ⅓ cup agave syrup, 2 Tbsps pure maple syrup, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. **Whip together: Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat and whisk together until it begins to boil. Reduce heat to low-medium and let everything simmer for about 15 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. Once thickened enough to desired consistency, remove from heat and let cool. Set aside until ready to use or store remainder in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.**
  • SOUR CREAM: You can always use low-fat sour cream or greek yogurt for a healthier option.
  • TOASTED TORTILLAS: To lightly toast taco tortillas, preheat oven on 350 degrees Fahrenheit and place tortillas directly on rack. Turn off oven once heated and let tortillas warm for 2 minutes. Remove from oven.
  • SLOW COOKER: To make these ribs using a Slow Cooker, simply follow all steps and set Slow Cooker's setting to "high" and let cook for an additional hour if needed. Meat should still be tender + fall off the bone.
  • STORAGE: Place any leftover ribs in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 515kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 749mg | Potassium: 1014mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 798IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 7mg