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Our easy Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs recipe is melt-in-your-mouth tender and so delicious! With only 15 minutes of prep and simple ingredients, you can set it and forget it while it cooks.
Jump to:
- What are short ribs?
- What are the different cuts of short ribs?
- Can you substitute boneless short ribs for bone in?
- Do you have to brown short ribs?
- Can short ribs be overcooked?
- How long does it take to braise short ribs?
- 🥗 What goes well with short ribs?
- 📖 Tender Beef Recipes
- 📌 Pin it for later!
- 💬 Reader Reviews
- 📋 Recipe
- 💬 Reviews
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.
Marbling refers to the white lines of fat running through a cut of beef. If there is a lot of web-like marbling, you know you are in for a treat!
What are the different cuts of short ribs?
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 rib 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. They are both immensely juicy and packed with flavor!
Can you substitute boneless short ribs for bone in?
Yes. Bone-in are our personal preference, but you can use boneless, too! Why not try both and see which kind you prefer?
Do you have to brown short ribs?
Our recipe requires searing the meat before adding it to the crock pot in order to build flavor.
When you sear them in a skillet, the outside of the meat caramelizes slightly. This builds a more flavorful dish, as that flavor releases as the beef braises in the crock pot.
We recommend using a cast-iron skillet to sear your beef.
Can short ribs be overcooked?
When you are cooking them in the crock pot, they are really hard to overcook! This is the easiest way to cook short ribs that produces juicy ribs every single time.
Many cuts of beef on the bone come into their own when braising after searing. For example, our Slow Cooker Beef Tips and Gravy and Korean Short Ribs.
How long does it take to braise short ribs?
Cook your ribs low and slow for 6 to 8 hours for the most fall-apart tender beef.
🥗 What goes well with short ribs?
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes or Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Perfect White Rice or Instant Pot White Rice
- Instant Pot Risotto or Mushroom Risotto
- Cauliflower Rice Casserole
We also love pairing these ribs with garlicky, buttery Green Beans Almondine and Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots.
📖 Tender Beef Recipes
- Grilled Beef Short Ribs Recipe
- Korean Braised Short Ribs (Galbi Jjim)
- Korean Beef Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef Bowls)
- Beef Chuck Roast Recipe
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Did you try this recipe for slow cooker beef short ribs? We would love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and a rating below, or email us.
💬 Reader Reviews
Here’s what our readers who have tried this recipe have to say:
Perfection! Thanks for the awesome recipe.
@mosisboo
Delicious. Roasted heirloom potatoes on the side.
@rungirl67
Turned out AMAZING. Definitely a keeper!!! 😋😍🥘♥️
@NurseKatieCarr
Great recipe! I ended up serving with Mashed Potatoes and Fresh Corn off the Cob. Great for a summer day when you don’t want to leave the oven on for a long time!
@lisapaigeski
So easy. Served over rice. DELICIOUS!!
@louisewdowden
Such a great recipe! I ended up only needing to slow cook for 6 hours. 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.
@rachaelmendoza
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📋 Recipe
Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs Recipe
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
- Skillet
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.
- 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 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.
- 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.
- 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
- For maximum flavor and tenderness we recommend Certified Angus Beef® brand beef short ribs.
- 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.
Michelle says
Do you need the wine. I’m making this soon but don’t have the wine.
Thanks Michelle
Em Beitel says
Hi Michelle! Not at all. If you don’t have the wine just use extra beef broth in its place or red wine vinegar if you have it. Enjoy!
Anna says
My family loved this recipe! I did add about 2 cups of mushrooms & used mushroom broth. No onions or garlic since one of my kids is allergic to them. Served over mashed potatoes. This recipe is a keeper!
Em Beitel says
Anna, that’s awesome! We’re so glad you and your family enjoy it! Mushrooms with this dish sound amazing – we’ll have to try it your way! Thank you for your comment.
Shawn Fischer says
Wondeful, followed exactly. Going to use leftovers for French Dips tonight. Everyone loved them.
Em Beitel says
That’s awesome, Shawn! Using the leftovers for French Dips is a brilliant idea! Thank you for sharing with us!