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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
📌 Pin it for later!
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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
🥘 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.
Juli says
Every time I think it’s going to warm up the trmte drop again and I need something hearty to eat, this looks deliciously perfect.
Em Beitel says
The weather just can’t make up its mind! Thankfully, that means more perfect weather for meals like this. We hope you love it and thank you, Juli!
Jessica Formicola says
This is total comfort food! I made it for dinner last night and it was a hit with everyone! Thanks so much for sharing.
Lucy Parissi says
This is such an informative post and the recipe is fantastic. Thanks for sharing it.
Em Beitel says
Thank you so much, Lucy! We are so glad to hear it!
Jane Saunders says
This is the kind of recipe my family welcomes me serving up over and over again. Brilliant on all levels.
Em Beitel says
Thank you so much, Jane! There’s nothing like some good short ribs!
Natalie says
Oh my… I’m seriously drooling over these pictures. Meat looks soooo good. So soft and melt in your mouth delicious. I must make this for dinner. Saving the recipe to my list. Thanks!
Em Beitel says
Thanks so much, Natalie! This is one of our favorites and we hope you love it as much as we do! Let us know how it goes!
ChasBon says
Excellent recipe! I may have added a touch more wine, and I used beef stock rather than chicken. I also used balsamic glaze instead of vinegar. The ribs were amazing! I just wish I had thought to make some bread to mop up those amazing juices. I did skim the fat off before serving – delicious! Thanks for the post 🙂
Em Beitel says
Beef stock and balsamic glaze sound incredible with this recipe! Thank you so much for sharing. We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Mary says
What size slow cooker works for this recipe?
Em Beitel says
Hi Mary! 4 qt. may work, but anything 6 qt. or above will definitely work. Thank you for your question!
Cindy says
Thinking about making a day in advance and reheating on Christmas Eve? What would’ve best way to reheat? Looks like a winner! Thanks
Em Beitel says
That sounds wonderful, Cindy! You can actually reheat these perfectly in your slow cooker. Set it to warm – if it doesn’t have a warm setting, use the lowest heat instead. Add it all to the pot and cover with a lid. Check after 30 minutes and if they aren’t done, leave for another 30.
If you want, you can also reheat it in the oven. Preheat your oven to 250 and place in a foil-wrapped baking dish. Bake for about 30 minutes at that temperature and then check if they’re heated through. If they aren’t done, you can leave them in a bit longer.
Hope this helps, and thank you for your question! Enjoy!
Bev Ringhiser says
Wow! Amazing flavor! I added onion, more celery and carrots then recipe called for and added chopped parsnips. I thickened the sauce at the end with a slurry of 1 TBL cornstarch and a cup of sauce. Served over mashed potatoes and turnips. Definitely a keeper!
Em Beitel says
Parsnips sound like an amazing addition! Thank you so much for sharing and we’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Donna says
I made this today and it was delicious! I used baby carrots and left them whole. I used sherry and ketchup instead of red wine and tomato paste. I served it over rice. I will make this again.
Em Beitel says
Donna, that sounds wonderful! Thank you so much for your comment!