Slow Cooker Short Ribs Recipe for Tender, Fall-Off-the-Bone Beef

SLOW COOKER SHORT RIBS

Slow cooker short ribs are the kind of dinner that feels like a weekend project but asks almost nothing from you. You rub the meat with a simple spice blend, sear it for a few minutes, pile everything into the crockpot, and walk away.

Hours later you lift the lid and find beef so tender it gives way under a fork, sitting in a glossy, savory gravy.

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It is absolute comfort food. I make it whenever the weather turns cold and I want the house to smell like something good is happening in the kitchen without standing over the stove all afternoon.

SHORT RIBS IN CROCKPOT

Short ribs in the crockpot are cozy, deeply flavored comfort food. The meat braises in a rich liquid built from sweet onions, garlic, balsamic vinegar or Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, tomato paste, and fresh thyme and rosemary. Those cooking juices end up almost as good as the beef itself, so plan to spoon them over whatever you serve.

The recipe is forgiving, too. You can adjust the spices and herbs to suit your family, and you can tuck extra vegetables into the pot. Mushrooms or potatoes are both easy additions, and they soak up the braising liquid beautifully.

That is the appeal of a slow cooker meal. You do the work early, and the pot takes it from there.

Serving ideas that always work:

• Creamy mashed potatoes
• Steamed or buttered rice
• Crusty bread for sopping up the gravy
• Simple roasted or steamed vegetables

A couple of swaps are worth knowing. If you do not keep balsamic vinegar or Worcestershire sauce on hand, red wine steps in nicely and adds its own depth. And both bone in and boneless short ribs work here.

Bone in ribs carry more flavor, while boneless cuts cook faster, so check them earlier and adjust the timing to your pot.

DO YOU HAVE TO BROWN SHORT RIBS BEFORE COOKING?

Yes, and it is worth the extra few minutes. Browning the short ribs in a hot skillet before they go into the slow cooker improves the texture and the flavor, and it helps keep the meat juicier.

Those browned bits left in the pan also become the base of the sauce once you deglaze the skillet with vinegar or Worcestershire sauce.

ARE SHORT RIBS GOOD FOR THE SLOW COOKER?

They are one of the best cuts for it. Short ribs need a long, gentle cook before they turn tender, and that is exactly what a crockpot does well. Low and slow heat softens the tough fibers until the meat falls apart at the touch of a fork, while the liquid around it reduces into a rich, spoonable gravy.

If you are planning the rest of the plate, these pairings all work:

• Creamy cheddar mashed potatoes
• Dutch oven bread
• Mushroom cauliflower rice
• Baked mac and cheese
• Oat rolls
• Parmesan potato stacks

Any of them turn this into a full meal, and the bread is especially good for wiping the plates clean.

Welcome!

This recipe comes from Nicole Harris, the recipe developer behind WonkyWonderful. She has been sharing quick, budget friendly family meals since 2012, and her site is full of fast weeknight dinners, kid friendly dishes, and holiday food made with simple, real ingredients.

I found her slow cooker short ribs years ago and it has stayed in my rotation ever since. It works on a busy Tuesday, and it still feels special enough to serve to guests. If you like recipes that skip fancy equipment and long lists of specialty items, this approach will feel familiar.

Ingredients

This recipe makes 6 servings and calls for about 4 pounds of bone in beef short ribs, roughly 8 ribs. The seasoning blend is mixed first and rubbed onto the meat before searing.

• 4 pounds bone in beef short ribs, about 8 ribs
• 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
• ¾ teaspoon onion powder
• ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 to 2 tablespoons avocado oil, plus more as needed
• 2 sweet onions, peeled and cut into 1 inch thick slices
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar or Worcestershire sauce
• 2 ½ cups beef broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 large carrots, cut into 1 inch thick rounds
• Optional garnish: parsley, rosemary, or thyme

Keep the cornstarch in the blend. It is mixed with the spices and rubbed onto the meat along with them before the ribs hit the skillet.

Two shopping notes that make this easier:

• Bone in ribs are the version used here. They are more flavorful, and boneless ribs can be swapped in if you prefer, though they cook faster.
• The vinegar choice is yours. Balsamic vinegar or Worcestershire sauce both work, and red wine can stand in for either one.

Instructions

Prep time is about 20 minutes, and the slow cooker handles the rest. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours.

1. Pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel. Dry meat sears better, so do not skip this step.
2. Mix the cornstarch and seasonings together in a small bowl. Season the short ribs on all sides, massaging the blend into the meat.
3. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and sear the short ribs on both sides until browned and a nice crust forms, about 5 minutes per side. Work in small batches and add more oil for the next batch as needed. Transfer the seared meat to the slow cooker.
4. In the same skillet, saute the onions and garlic until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Add the balsamic vinegar or Worcestershire sauce and deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits stuck to the bottom.
6. Add the beef broth, tomato paste, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, and bay leaves. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
7. Once it is boiling, remove the skillet from the heat and pour everything over the seared short ribs in the slow cooker.
8. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or until the meat is tender. You can also cook on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours, or until the meat is tender. Add the chopped carrots during the last 1 to 2 hours of cooking, depending on how soft you would like them.
9. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with mashed potatoes, rice, crusty bread, or vegetables if you like.

Keep the searing batches small. If you crowd the skillet, the ribs steam instead of brown, and you lose the crust that gives this dish so much of its flavor.

Notes

If the gravy looks thin when the ribs are done, you can fix it in a few minutes. Take the meat and vegetables out of the slow cooker, then whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry.

Stir the slurry into the broth and cook on high for 5 to 10 minutes, until it reaches the consistency you want.

Two things to remember. The gravy keeps thickening as it sits, so pull it a little looser than you think you need. And if it tightens up too much, a splash of extra broth loosens it right back.

I usually start this on a weekend afternoon and let the smell do the work of gathering everyone into the kitchen. By the time the lid comes off, nobody needs to be called twice.

Recipe details

The source nutrition panel lists 1053 calories, 80 grams of protein, 19 grams of carbohydrates, and 73 grams of fat per serving.

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Slow Cooker Short Ribs

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SLOW COOKER SHORT RIBS Slow cooker short ribs are the kind of dinner that feels like a weekend project but asks almost nothing from you. You rub the meat with a simple spice blend, sear it for a few minutes, pile everything into the crockpot, and walk away.

• Total Time: 380 min
• Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs, about 8 ribs
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
¾ teaspoon onion powder
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1–2 tablespoons avocado oil, more as needed
2 sweet onions, peeled and cut into 1 inch thick slices
6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or Worcestershire sauce
2 ½ cups beef broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves chopped
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
2 bay leaves
5 large carrots, cut into 1 inch thick rounds
Optional herbs for garnish, parsley, rosemary, thyme

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Instructions

1-Pat short ribs dry with a paper: Pat short ribs dry with a paper towel.
2-Mix the cornstarch and seasonings together in: Mix the cornstarch and seasonings together in a small bowl. Season the short ribs on all sides, massaging it in.
3-In a large skillet over medium-high heat,: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and sear the short ribs on both sides until browned and a nice crust forms, about 5 minutes each side. Work in small batches and add additional oil for the next batch as needed. Transfer the seared meat into the slow cooker.
4-In the same skillet, saute the onions: In the same skillet, saute the onions and garlic until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
5-Add the balsamic vinegar or Worcestershire sauce: Add the balsamic vinegar or Worcestershire sauce and deglaze the pan by scraping up the browned bits stuck to the bottom.
6-Add the beef broth, tomato paste, fresh: Add the beef broth, tomato paste, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, and bay leaves. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
7-Once boiling, remove the skillet from the: Once boiling, remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the contents into the slow cooker, pouring everything on top of the seared short ribs.
8-Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8: Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or until the meat is tender. You may also cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours, or until the meat is tender. Add the chopped carrots into the slow cooker during the last 1-2 hours of the cooking time, depending on how soft or tender you’d like them.
9-Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with: Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with mashed potatoes, rice, crusty bread, or vegetables if desired.

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time: 360 min
• Method: stovetop

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1g
• Calories: 1053kcal
• Sugar: 9g
• Sodium: 1179mg
• Fat: 73g
• Saturated Fat: 31g
• Carbohydrates: 19g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 80g
• Cholesterol: 302mg