Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs (Printable)

Fall-off-the-bone beef short ribs braised in red wine and beef broth with carrots, onions and herbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 3.3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 large onion, chopped
03 - 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 4 garlic cloves, minced

→ Liquids

06 - 1 cup beef broth
07 - 1 cup dry red wine
08 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
09 - 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

→ Spices & Herbs

10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 - 2 sprigs fresh thyme
13 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
14 - 2 bay leaves

→ Optional for Thickening

15 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

# How-to Steps:

01 - Generously season beef short ribs on all sides with salt and pepper.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown short ribs on all sides for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer browned ribs to slow cooker.
03 - Add chopped onion, sliced carrots, celery, and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are softening. Add to slow cooker.
04 - Pour beef broth and red wine into the slow cooker. Stir in tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce.
05 - Nestle thyme sprigs, rosemary sprigs, and bay leaves among the ingredients in the slow cooker.
06 - Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or until ribs are extremely tender and the meat is nearly falling off the bone.
07 - Remove and discard herb sprigs and bay leaves. Skim off excess fat from the top if necessary.
08 - If a thicker sauce is desired, mix cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir into the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
09 - Plate beef short ribs with their sauce and vegetables while hot.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • Letting the slow cooker do the heavy lifting means dinner basically takes care of itself while you handle life.
  • The sauce is sneakily irresistible on both the beef and absolutely anything you decide to serve alongside it.
02 -
  • The ribs absolutely need to be seared first—skipping this out of impatience once gave me pale, limp meat and a flat sauce.
  • Letting the pot sit for a few minutes before skimming gives you way less mess and a much cleaner sauce.
03 -
  • Let the finished short ribs rest for a few minutes after cooking—it actually makes them easier to serve and keeps juices in.
  • A final hit of fresh pepper and a sprinkle of sea salt just before serving lifts all the flavors to new heights.

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