My family and I recently went on what we called our “epic Texas road trip.” We visited Waco, San Antonio, Galveston, Houston, Livingston (my hometown), and Tyler. You know we had some amazing food! The best meal of our entire two week trip was from a taco restaurant in downtown Houston called Liberty Taco. Their Honey Chipotle Pork Rib Tacos were so unique and delicious, I knew I had to create my own version.
I came pretty darn close! The question I get asked the most is, “How do you come up with your recipes?” The answer is from eating! Ha! I love to re-create dishes from restaurants and am proud of how these turned out. Here’s the taco from Liberty Taco…looks similar doesnt it? Tastes just as amazing too if I do say so!
I love the sweet and spicy flavors of the BBQ sauce combined with the tangy slaw and fresh toppings. This is a memorable flavor explosion but so so easy to make.
How to Make Honey Chipotle Pork Rib Tacos
The restaurant used baby back ribs that had been grilled but I wanted a version that was even easier. I decided to use Country Style boneless pork ribs and cook them in the slow cooker.
These ribs work perfectly! Cooked low and slow, they become fall apart tender in about 5 hours. There is some fat on them but I leave it on to maintain moisture during the cooking process and then just scrape it off as I shred them before serving.
I was so happy to find that my favorite store-bought BBQ sauce, Sweet Baby Ray’s, had a Honey Chipotle flavor. That made the recipe creation even easier! Just place the ribs in a slow cooker, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add 1/4 cup water, then squirt 1/2 of the 18 oz bottle of sauce over them. Cook on low for 5 hours or until they are fall-apart tender. Easy!
Next, make the Serrano Ranch Slaw by mixing mayonnaise, white vinegar, lime juice, dry ranch seasoning, and garlic salt together. Then toss with a bag of coleslaw cabbage and a couple of finely diced serrano peppers. It is so tangy and delicious! Top the tacos with crumbly queso fresco, fresh cilantro, pickled jalapenos, and extra Honey Chipotle BBQ sauce. Delish!
Good Things Utah TV Segment
Once I created these Honey Chipotle Pork Rib Tacos, I knew they’d be perfect for my next TV segment. I made them with the adorable Ali Monsen and it was such a fun segment. I always love to bring a little Texan to the show! Watch me make them here!
More Tacos Recipe to Try
Y’all know tacos are my favorite food ever! Here’s a few more from my blog for you to try:
Honey Chipotle Pork Rib Tacos
Ingredients
- 3-4 lbs Country Style boneless pork ribs
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 18 oz Sweet Baby Ray's Honey Chipotle BBQ Sauce
For the Serrano Ranch Slaw:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon vinegar (white wine or red wine)
- 1 (1 oz) dry ranch dressing packet
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 2-3 serrano peppers, seeded and finely diced
- 14 oz coleslaw mix
Additional Ingredients:
- Flour or corn tortillas, warmed
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Pickled jalapenos
- Queso fresco, crumbled
- Extra BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Place ribs in a slow cooker, add water, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with half of the bottle of BBQ sauce. Toss with a fork or tongs to coat. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or until "fall apart" tender.
- Once ribs are tender, shred with a fork in the slow cooker. Remove any large fatty pieces. Keep warm until ready to serve.
- To make slaw, add mayonnaise, lime juice, vinegar, ranch seasoning, and garlic salt to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk to combine well. Add serrano peppers and slaw mix then toss to coat.
- To assemble tacos, place rib meat and slaw inside a warm tortilla. Garnish with pickled jalapenos, cilantro, queso fresco, and extra BBQ sauce.
Notes
- Bone-in pork ribs may also be used. Just make sure you have 3-4 lbs of meat compensating for extra weight of the bones.
- These could be cooked on high for 3 hours but I recommend the low setting on a slow cooker.Â
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