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My beef short ribs crock pot recipe is deeply flavorful and melt-in-your-mouth delicious! With only 15 minutes of prep and simple ingredients, you can set it and forget it while it cooks. These short ribs promise to be the star of any family meal!
Jump to:
- Short Ribs Crock Pot Recipe
- Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs Ingredients
- Short Ribs in Crock Pot Recipe
- Crock Pot Gravy
- Beef Short Ribs Recipe Slow Cooker Tips
- What are Short Ribs?
- Slow Cooker Short Ribs FAQ
- How to Store Leftover Slow Cooker Short Ribs
- How to Reheat Crock Pot Short Ribs
- Short Rib Recipes
- Recipe
- Reviews
Short Ribs Crock Pot Recipe
Beef Short ribs in the crockpot are the ultimate comfort food! They are so juicy and melt in your mouth. This is a slow cooker recipe I make again and again for my family, especially as a part of my favorite Sunday dinner ideas. Another other favorite is my slow cooker lasagna. It is so easy to prepare ahead of time for a crowd!
Another top Sunday supper recipe, which is requested again and again, is my beef chuck roast. It melts in your mouth, and the potatoes are as good as the beef when cooked in the delicious broth.
Such a great recipe! You can taste the build of flavors in the meat. It’s not an overpowering punch, but more of a slow progression of flavors, which I feel like makes this dish taste and feel sophisticated.
Rachael
Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs Ingredients
- Short Ribs: Look for beef chuck short ribs for this recipe.
- Salt: Kosher salt or sea salt flakes work best.
- Pepper: Freshly cracked black pepper is always a great choice.
- Onion, Celery, and Carrots: These veggies are an essential base for the tasty gravy these short ribs form when cooking.
- Vegetable Oil: For searing the short ribs before slow cooking them.
- Garlic: You want to use fresh crushed garlic. A garlic press makes this so easy.
- Red Wine: If you don’t want to use red wine, you can replace it with extra beef broth at a 1:1 ratio.
- Balsamic Vinegar: A little bit of balsamic vinegar goes a long way for flavor in this recipe!
- Tomato Paste: You could also use tomato sauce if it’s what you have, but I prefer the flavor and consistency of tomato paste.
- Beef Broth: When braised in beef broth, a delicious gravy forms to pair with these slow cooker short ribs.
- Rosemary and Bay Leaves: For best flavor, use fresh rosemary!
Isabel’s Top Tip
This is always my favorite slow cooker to use! It seriously makes life so easy!
Short Ribs in Crock Pot Recipe
- Pat beef short ribs dry if necessary.
- Finely dice the onion, celery ribs, and carrots.
- Season all over with salt and pepper. Pat the seasoning into the meat.
- Warm half of your vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the short ribs on all sides in two batches so you don’t overcrowd the skillet. Make sure to sear until you have a nice mahogany crust.
- Add the onion, celery, and carrots to the skillet along with the remaining oil. Reduce the heat slightly so the vegetables don’t burn.
- Cook the vegetables for a couple of minutes, then add minced garlic. Cook a minute more, then add red wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape up brown bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Add balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, beef broth, rosemary, and bay leaves as it starts to simmer.
- Add the short ribs to the slow cooker. Bring the vegetable mixture to a simmer then pour over the short ribs.
- Turn the slow cooker on low and cook for 6 – 8 hours.
- Remove the bay leaves when it is done and discard them.
- Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or thick pasta like pappardelle.
Crock Pot Gravy
You can serve the braised short ribs in their drippings (which is amazing) or make them into gravy. Homemade gravy is easy, delicious, and adds so much flavor to the dish
- Remove the short ribs to a platter and tent with foil.
- Strain the liquid and remove any large chunks of meat and vegetables.
- Add the strained liquids back to the pot, then add 3 Tbsp. All-purpose flour and stir to make gravy. It’s that easy!
Beef Short Ribs Recipe Slow Cooker Tips
- I used bone-in short ribs for this recipe. Boneless short ribs also work well.
- Season the short ribs generously with salt and pepper to intensify the flavor.
- Important step: Heating oil in a skillet and sear the ribs on all sides in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. This step is key to beautiful and flavorful short ribs.
- You can also use large pieces of carrots and serve them as your side dish.
- Once your slow cooker short ribs have finished cooking, turn off the slow cooker and let them cool slightly, but not to room temperature.
- Transfer the short ribs to an airtight container or a lidded ovenproof dish.
- Seal the container or dish with airtight lids or plastic wrap to prevent moisture loss, and place it in the refrigerator if you plan to consume the short ribs within a few days.
What are Short Ribs?
Tender beef chuck short ribs are one of the best cuts of beef for slow cooking and grilling. They come from the front section of the backbone and are beautifully marbled.
Slow Cooker Short Ribs FAQ
There are two cuts: flanken and English-style.
Flanken means “flank” in German, and it refers to ribs located along the back towards the belly of the cow, cut across the bones. They are cut into short ½-inch lengths. Sometimes, a few cross-sections of ribs are left in a strip.
The English style of short ribs is cut between each rib to separate them. This leaves a thick piece of meat sitting on top of the bone. English ribs can be left in one long piece or cut into smaller, 2-inch pieces. Some are bone-in while others are boneless beef short ribs.
They are both immensely juicy and packed with flavor!
My recipe requires searing the meat before adding it to the crock pot to build flavor. When you sear them, the outside of the meat caramelizes slightly. This builds a more flavorful dish, as that flavor releases as the beef cooks in the crockpot.
I recommend using a cast-iron skillet to sear your beef.
How to Store Leftover Slow Cooker Short Ribs
- Transfer to Containers: Place the cooled short ribs along with any cooking liquid into airtight containers. You can store them whole or shred the meat if preferred. Make sure to leave some space at the top of the container to allow for expansion during freezing.
- Labeling and Freezing: Label the containers with the date of preparation and place them in the refrigerator or freezer accordingly. Short ribs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat Crock Pot Short Ribs
- Reheating in the Oven:
- Preheat your oven to around 325°F (160°C).
- Place the short ribs in an oven-safe dish with any cooking liquid.
- Cover the dish with foil to prevent drying out.
- Reheat for approximately 20-30 minutes or until heated through.
- Reheating on the Stove:
- Transfer the short ribs and cooking liquid to a saucepan or skillet.
- Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. This method helps to retain moisture.
- Reheating in the Microwave:
- Place the short ribs in a microwave-safe dish with a lid.
- Heat on medium power in short increments, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating.
- Check the temperature of the meat with a food thermometer to ensure it reaches at least 165°F (74°C).
I made this tonight. It was incredibly delicious. The prep work is worth the effort. I served with a red wine, crusty bread and a side salad.
Kay
Short Rib Recipes
Try my Grilled Pork Ribs, 3-2-1 Smoked Ribs, and Air Fryer Ribs next!
Recipe
Slow Cooker Short Ribs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2½ lbs. beef chuck short ribs
- ¼ tsp. salt approx.
- ¼ tsp. pepper approx.
- 1 onion
- 8 ribs celery or one stalk
- 3 carrots medium
- 1½ Tbsp. vegetable oil or other flavorless oil
- 1 clove garlic crushed or 1 tsp. finely diced garlic
- ½ cup red wine
- 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- ¾ cup beef broth
- ½ tsp. rosemary dried
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- Pat 2½ lbs. beef short ribs dry if necessary. Finely dice 1 onion, 8 celery ribs, and 3 medium carrots.2½ lbs. beef chuck short ribs, 1 onion, 8 ribs celery, 3 carrots
- Season the ribs all over with salt and pepper. Pat the seasoning into the meat.¼ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper
- Warm half of your vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the short ribs on all sides, in two batches so you don't overcrowd the skillet. Make sure to sear until you have a nice mahogany crust.1½ Tbsp. vegetable oil
- Add the onion, celery, and carrots to the skillet along with the remaining oil. Reduce the heat slightly so the vegetables don't burn.1½ Tbsp. vegetable oil
- Cook the vegetables for a couple minutes, then add 1 clove minced garlic. Cook a minute more, then add ½ cup red wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape up brown bits from the bottom of the skillet.½ cup red wine, 1 clove garlic
- As it starts to simmer, add 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 2 Tbsp. tomato paste, ¾ beef broth, ½ tsp. rosemary, and 3 bay leaves. Add the short ribs to the slow cooker.Bring the vegetable mixture to a simmer then pour over the short ribs.2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 2 Tbsp. tomato paste, ¾ cup beef broth, ½ tsp. rosemary, 3 bay leaves
- Turn the slow cooker on low and cook for 6 – 8 hours. Remove the bay leaves when it is done and discard them. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or thick pasta like pappardelle.
Video
Notes
- I used bone in short ribs for this recipe but boneless short ribs also work well.
- Make sure to give the short ribs a good amount of seasoning with salt and pepper to intensify the flavor.
- Important step: Heating oil in a skillet and searing the ribs on all sides in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. This step is key to beautiful and flavorful short ribs.
- You can also use large pieces of carrots and serve them as your side dish.
Mike La Verdi says
Absolutely Awesome!!! Followed recipe with Outstanding results!!! It was So Good that my wife and I finished it all! Just had a little leftover gravy, which was so full bodied and tasty…but it won’t last long!!!
Thanks for a Great Recipe!!!
Em Beitel says
Thanks so much, Mike! We’re so glad you and your wife both enjoyed it! The gravy is my favorite part.
Anne says
This sounds delicious! Do the carrots get soft or do they keep a little bit to them?
I don’t like mushy over cooked carrots!!
Isabel Laessig says
Hi Anne! I personally have had no issues with the carrots slow cooking them this way, but if you’d like them to have a little more bite, you could add them later into the cooktime. If you’re cooking the dish for 6 hours on low, add them at the 2 hour mark so they cook for 4 hours. If you’re cooking for 8 hours, add them halfway through the cook-time.
Enjoy!
Aime says
Hi! Thank you for the recipe! What sides would go better with this?
Isabel Laessig says
Hi, Aime! Thank you! I would say that depends on what sort of meal you’d like to have – I love serving this with mashed potatoes or roasted small potatoes, but you could also serve it with air fried or roasted vegetables, or even a side of pasta, if you like.
Nancy says
I made this tonight. It was absolutely amazing!! Thank you for sharing this recipe. I will be making it again.
Isabel Laessig says
So glad you enjoyed it, Nancy! Thank you so much for letting me know!
Melissa says
So so good! Served it with polenta and roasted cauliflower. Family says it’s a do over!
Isabel Laessig says
This is awesome, Melissa! I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed it!
Katie M says
Can you make this in a Dutch oven? How would I do that?
Isabel Laessig says
Hi Katie! You could absolutely make these in a Dutch oven. I would recommend you follow the same steps I use for my Korean Braised Short Ribs (link), which is made in a Dutch oven, but keep this ingredients list.
Keri s says
I should have considered less cooking time for boneless short ribs. Mine ended up completely cooked through and tough as leather after 3.5 hours 🙁
Or maybe I did something terribly wrong.
Isabel Laessig says
Hi Keri! That’s strange. That should not have happened and I have personally not had this issue. Is it possible the slow cooker was accidentally set to high instead of low?