Slow Cooker Short Ribs are the ultimate comfort food, delivering profoundly tender and flavorful beef with minimal effort, making them a perfect weeknight or special occasion meal. This recipe is designed for simplicity, ensuring anyone can achieve restaurant-quality results at home.
Key Ingredients for Slow Cooker Short Ribs
- 2.5 – 3 lbs bone-in beef short ribs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry red wine (such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional: 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water (for thickening sauce)
- Optional: Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
How to Make Slow Cooker Short Ribs
This Slow Cooker Short Ribs recipe transforms tough cuts of beef into melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. With just 20 minutes of prep, the slow cooker does the rest, creating a deeply savory and satisfying experience. The rich, unctuous sauce, infused with red wine and aromatics, makes this dish incredibly delicious and a true crowd-pleaser. Preparation time is approximately 20 minutes.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the Short Ribs: Pat the beef short ribs dry with paper towels. Season them generously on all sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Sear the Short Ribs: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs in batches until they are deeply browned on all sides. This step is crucial for building flavor. Remove the seared ribs from the skillet and place them in the bottom of your slow cooker insert.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the same skillet (you may need to add a tiny bit more oil if the pan is dry). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and the onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add Aromatics and Tomato Paste: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes to deepen its flavor.
- Deglaze the Pan: Pour in the red wine and scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half, which will take a few minutes. This concentrates the flavor and cooks off some of the alcohol.
- Combine Liquids and Herbs: Pour the beef broth into the skillet and stir to combine with the wine and vegetable mixture. Add the fresh rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves into the slow cooker with the short ribs.
- Cook in the Slow Cooker: Pour the liquid mixture from the skillet over the short ribs in the slow cooker. Ensure the liquid comes up at least halfway to two-thirds of the way up the ribs. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, until the short ribs are fork-tender and falling off the bone.
- Rest and Thicken (Optional): Once cooked, carefully remove the short ribs from the slow cooker and set them aside on a plate. Discard the rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves from the liquid. Skim off any excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid using a spoon or a fat separator. If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can transfer the liquid to a saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry, then gradually whisk it into the simmering liquid until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Return the short ribs to the thickened sauce to coat them, or spoon the sauce generously over the ribs when serving. Serve hot, garnished with fresh chopped parsley if desired.
Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Short Ribs
You will adore these Slow Cooker Short Ribs for their incredibly tender, fall-off-the-bone texture and deep, rich flavor. They are astonishingly easy to make, requiring minimal active cooking time, which is a huge win for busy weeknights. Plus, the cost-saving benefit of transforming an economical cut of beef into a restaurant-worthy dish at home is simply unbeatable. Unlike a quick pan-sear, the slow cooker gently braises the ribs, allowing them to become incredibly succulent and infused with the savory notes of red wine and herbs.
This recipe is a game-changer for anyone seeking a comforting and impressive meal without the fuss. The aromatic broth, enriched with sautéed vegetables and herbs, creates a velvety sauce that perfectly complements the luxurious beef. Take the guesswork out of dinner and give this Slow Cooker Short Ribs recipe a try – your taste buds (and your wallet) will thank you!
Storing and Reheating Tips
Storing Leftovers:
- Refrigeration: Allow the cooked short ribs and sauce to cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: For longer storage, cool the short ribs and sauce completely. Place them in freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, pressing out as much air as possible. They can be frozen for up to 2-3 months.
Reheating:
- Stovetop: The best method for reheating short ribs is on the stovetop. Gently heat them in a skillet over medium-low heat, adding a splash of beef broth or water if the sauce seems too thick. Stir occasionally until heated through.
- Oven: You can also reheat them in a covered oven-safe dish at 300°F (150°C) for about 20-30 minutes, or until warm. Be cautious not to overheat, which can dry out the meat.
- Microwave: While not ideal for maintaining texture, you can reheat individual portions in the microwave on a lower power setting, stirring halfway through, until warm.
Final Thoughts
These Slow Cooker Short Ribs offer an unparalleled combination of tenderness, flavor, and sheer ease. They are the perfect testament to how simple techniques can yield extraordinary results. Give this recipe a try and experience the magic of slow-cooked comfort food for yourself.
Slow Cooker Short Ribs
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pat the beef short ribs dry with paper towels. Season them generously on all sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.2.5 – 3 lbs bone-in beef short ribs, salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs in batches until they are deeply browned on all sides. This step is crucial for building flavor. Remove the seared ribs from the skillet and place them in the bottom of your slow cooker insert.1 tablespoon olive oil, 2.5 – 3 lbs bone-in beef short ribs
- Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the same skillet (you may need to add a tiny bit more oil if the pan is dry). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and the onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 large yellow onion, 3 carrots, 3 stalks celery
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes to deepen its flavor.4 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Pour in the red wine and scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half, which will take a few minutes. This concentrates the flavor and cooks off some of the alcohol.1 cup dry red wine
- Pour the beef broth into the skillet and stir to combine with the wine and vegetable mixture. Add the fresh rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves into the slow cooker with the short ribs.2 cups beef broth, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 2.5 – 3 lbs bone-in beef short ribs
- Pour the liquid mixture from the skillet over the short ribs in the slow cooker. Ensure the liquid comes up at least halfway to two-thirds of the way up the ribs. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, until the short ribs are fork-tender and falling off the bone.2.5 – 3 lbs bone-in beef short ribs
- Once cooked, carefully remove the short ribs from the slow cooker and set them aside on a plate. Discard the rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves from the liquid. Skim off any excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid using a spoon or a fat separator. If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can transfer the liquid to a saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry, then gradually whisk it into the simmering liquid until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.2 sprigs fresh rosemary, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, cornstarch mixed with cold water, salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Return the short ribs to the thickened sauce to coat them, or spoon the sauce generously over the ribs when serving. Serve hot, garnished with fresh chopped parsley if desired.2.5 – 3 lbs bone-in beef short ribs, fresh parsley