Slow cooker short ribs are melt-in-your-mouth tender and incredibly easy to make.
In this recipe, short ribs slow cook in a beefy red wine sauce with onions, carrots, celery, and aromatic herbs and spices.
- It’s a hearty dish that is so easy it practically cooks itself—set it and forget it.
- A slow cooker ensures that the meat is fall off the bone tender.
- This recipe includes steps for making a deliciously rich and savory sauce from the cooking liquid that can be seasoned to match the menu.
What You Need For Slow Cooker Short Ribs
Short Ribs: Use either English-style beef short ribs. They are square and are sold in single pieces. Frozen ribs should be thawed first so they can be seared, for an extra boos of flavor.
Vegetables: Onions, carrots, and celery are the main components of a “mirepoix,” which infuses flavor into all kinds of proteins. You can add diced potatoes, sweet potatoes, or mushrooms as well.
Seasonings: The earthy flavors of dried herbs add depth of flavor to slow cooker short ribs! Make a shortcut Italian seasoning blend from scratch or spice your ribs up with a Cajun blend.
How to Make Short Ribs in a Slow Cooker
A crockpot makes short ribs so easy; they practically cook themselves.
- In a skillet, brown the ribs and soften the onions.
- Transfer ribs and onions to a slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients (recipe below).
- Cook on low for 7-8 hours, then remove ribs and veggies.
- Skim the fat off the drippings into a saucepan and make gravy.
Serve Slow Cooker Ribs With …
We love short ribs with mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or creamy polenta.
Tips for Tender Short Ribs
- Searing the meat adds another layer of flavor.
- Low and slow is the best way to ensure the ribs are tender. Avoid opening the lid as it will leat out heat and add to the cooking time.
- Ribs have a lot of fat, so skim the drippings before making gravy or use a gravy separator.
- I thicken the gravy with a cornstarch slurry, but you can also use a roux (flour and fat) if you’d prefer. Follow the ratios in my gravy recipe.
Storing Leftover Short Ribs
- Keep leftover short ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze leftovers for up to 4 months.
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Slow Cooker Short Ribs
Beef ribs are slow-cooked in red wine with vegetables and herbs and served with a rich gravy from the drippings.
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Season the short ribs with salt and pepper.
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Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet and add the ribs, in batches if needed, browning for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
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Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions to the skillet. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add them to the slow cooker along with the beef stock, wine, carrots, celery, garlic, soy sauce, tomato paste, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves.
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Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.
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Once cooked, transfer the ribs and vegetables to a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. Strain the drippings left in the crock pot.
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Skim any excess fat off the top of the drippings and pour the drippings into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or until slightly reduced.
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Mix 2 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 ½ tablespoons of water. Drizzle the cornstarch into the simmering drippings while whisking until thickened. You may not need all of the cornstarch. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
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Serve the ribs and vegetables with gravy.
- Beef stock makes the best gravy. If using beef broth, add a bouillon cube.
- I recommend cooking short ribs on low for tender ribs. If the ribs are tough, they likely need more time.
- Short ribs will produce a lot of fat so be sure to skim the drippings. I use this gravy separator to make it easy.
- Fresh herbs, such as chopped rosemary, can be added to the broth when simmering for gravy if desired.
Calories: 250 | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 646mg | Potassium: 370mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5208IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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