Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs (Printable)
Rich, fall-off-the-bone beef short ribs braised with red wine, vegetables and herbs for melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.
# 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 cloves garlic, 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 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 make it:
01 - Sprinkle salt and black pepper evenly over all sides of the beef short ribs.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Brown short ribs on all sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side, and transfer to slow cooker.
03 - Add chopped onion, carrots, celery, and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly softened, then transfer to the slow cooker.
04 - Pour in the beef broth and dry red wine. Add tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
05 - Place fresh thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves into the slow cooker with the other ingredients.
06 - Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or until the short ribs are fork-tender and meat easily detaches from the bone.
07 - Remove the herb sprigs and bay leaves. Skim excess fat from the surface if necessary. For a thicker sauce, stir in cornstarch-water mixture and cook on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes until thickened. Serve the short ribs hot with sauce and vegetables.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Your house will fill with such a comforting scent that even neighbors might want to drop by 'unexpectedly'.
- This dish turns simple supermarket ingredients into a decadent, restaurant-worthy dinner with nearly no effort.
02 -
- One time I hurried the browning step and ended up with pale, flavorless meat—never again!
- Letting the sauce settle for five minutes before serving makes it far easier to skim off the extra fat for better texture and taste.
03 -
- Use a fat separator or chill the sauce and remove the solidified fat for a lighter, glossier finish.
- Browning meat in batches keeps the skillet hot and ensures a deep, complex sauce base.