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    Home » Recipes » Dinner Ideas » Slow Cooker Short Ribs

    Slow Cooker Short Ribs

    Published: Sep 17, 2023 Modified: Dec 1, 2023 by Isabel Laessig

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    Indulge in the savory delight of my Slow Cooker Short Ribs recipe. Their deep flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture are truly slow cooker magic. These short ribs promise to be the star of the show of any family dinner. With only 15 minutes of prep and simple ingredients, you can set it and forget it while it cooks.

    Pouring gravy onto short ribs in a bowl ov er vegetables
    Jump to:
    • Short Ribs in the Crock Pot
    • Crock Pot Short Ribs Ingredients
    • Short Ribs Slow Cooker Recipe
    • Short Rib Gravy Recipe
    • Beef Short Ribs Slow Cooker Tips
    • What are Short Ribs?
    • Slow Cooker Short Ribs FAQs
    • Short Rib Recipes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    Short Ribs in the Crock Pot

    Beef Short ribs in the crockpot are the ultimate comfort food! They are so juicy and literally 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. Our other favorite is my slow cooker lasagna. It is so easy to prepare ahead of time for a crowd!

    My other top recipe for Sunday supper that is requested again and again is my beef chuck roast recipe. It just melts in your mouth and the potatoes are as good as the beef when they are 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 on Pinterest

    Crock Pot Short Ribs Ingredients

    • beef chuck short ribs
    • salt approx
    • pepper 
    • onion
    • celery 
    • carrots
    • vegetable oil 
    • garlic crushed
    • red wine
    • balsamic vinegar
    • tomato paste
    • beef broth
    • Rosemary 
    • bay leaves

    Short Ribs Slow Cooker Recipe

    1. Pat beef short ribs dry if necessary.
    2. Finely dice the onion, celery ribs, and carrots.
    3. Season all over with salt and pepper. Pat the seasoning into the meat.
    4. 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.
    5. Add the onion, celery, and carrots to the skillet along with the remaining oil. Reduce the heat slightly so the vegetables don’t burn. 
    6. Cook the vegetables for a couple of minutes, then add 1 clove of minced garlic. Cook a minute more, then add red wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape up brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. 
    7. As it starts to simmer, add balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, beef broth, rosemary, and bay leaves.
    8. Add the short ribs to the slow cooker. Bring the vegetable mixture to a simmer then pour over the short ribs. 
    9. Turn the slow cooker on low and cook for 6 – 8 hours. 
    10. Remove the bay leaves when it is done and discard them.
    11. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or thick pasta like pappardelle.

    Amazing, so much flavor!

    Carissa

    Short Rib Gravy Recipe

    You can serve the braised short ribs in their own drippings (which is absolutely amazing) or make them into a gravy. Homemade gravy is easy, delicious, and adds so much flavor to the dish

    1. When done, remove the short ribs to a platter, and tent with foil.
    2. Strain the liquid and remove any large chunks of meat and vegetables.
    3. 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 Slow Cooker Tips

    1. I used bone-in short ribs for this recipe but boneless also works well.
    2. Make sure to give the short ribs a good amount of seasoning with salt and pepper to intensify the flavor. 
    3. 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. 
    4. You can also use large pieces of carrots and serve them as your side dish. 

    Very easy & delicious. Would definitely make this again.

    Edie on Pinterest

    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 FAQs

    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 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!

    Do you have to brown short ribs?

    My recipe requires searing the meat before adding it to the crock pot in order 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.

    Searing ribs in a cast-iron skillet

    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 on Pinterest

    Short Rib Recipes

    • Grilled Short Ribs
    • Korean Braised Short Ribs
    • Instant Pot Short Ribs
    • Smoked Short Ribs

    Try my Grilled Pork Ribs, 3-2-1 Smoked Ribs, and Air Fryer Ribs next! Plus, my Slow Cooker Meatloaf!

    Pouring gravy on short ribs in a bowl

    📋 Recipe

    pouring gravy over slow cooker short ribs

    Slow Cooker Short Ribs

    Isabel Laessig
    Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs are a perfect weekday meal or special occasion dinner! Packed with flavor, they take only 15 minutes of prep and are an easy meal to make ahead of time.
    4.65 from 316 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 6 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 7 hours hrs
    Course Main
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4
    Calories 562 kcal

    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
    Cooking Conversions

    See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!

    Instructions
     

    • Pat 2½ lbs. beef short ribs dry if necessary. Finely dice 1 onion, 8 celery ribs, and 3 medium carrots.
      Short ribs on a wooden board next to salt and pepper
    • Season all over with salt and pepper. Pat the seasoning into the meat.
      Seasoned short ribs on a wooden board
    • 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.
      Searing ribs in a cast-iron skillet
    • Add the onion, celery, and carrots to the skillet along with the remaining oil. Reduce the heat slightly so the vegetables don't burn. 
      Vegetables in cast iron skillet: carrots, celery, onion
    • 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. 
      Vegetables simmering in cast iron 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. 
      adding vegetable mixture overtop beef in the slow cooker
    • 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.
      Pouring gravy on short ribs in a bowl

    Video

    Notes

     
    1. I used bone in short ribs for this recipe but boneless short ribs also work well.
    2. Make sure to give the short ribs a good amount of seasoning with salt and pepper to intensify the flavor. 
    3. 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. 
    4. You can also use large pieces of carrots and serve them as your side dish. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 562kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 48gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 146mgSodium: 684mgPotassium: 1230mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 3620IUVitamin C: 9.7mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 6.1mg
    Keyword Crock pot Short Ribs, short ribs crock pot, short ribs in crock pot, Slow Cooker Short Ribs
    Did you try this recipe?Tag #SundaySupper on social and leave a comment below!
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    Isabel, AKA Family Foodie

    About Isabel Laessig

    Hi! I’m Isabel Laessig, also known as Family Foodie, creator of Sunday Supper Movement and author of the Boujee Steak Cookbook. Sunday Supper is my mission to bring family back around the dinner table. Join me in making family meal-time a tradition to celebrate!

    » About Me

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Frank says

      February 17, 2022 at 10:13 pm

      Hi, I am wondering about how many cups of cut up celery would equal your suggested 8 ribs. In our area a rib and a stalk are the same for celery. The whole celery plant we call a bunch. So I’m thinking if cups is used I will get it correct. Thanks a lot , I’m anxious to give this recipe a try.

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        March 11, 2022 at 12:09 pm

        Hi Frank! I believe we used around 1 cup of chopped celery for this recipe, though it may have been a little more than that. You should be safe with 1 cup celery to about 1½ cups celery. Enjoy, and thank you for your question!

        Reply
    2. Nicole says

      April 23, 2022 at 1:01 pm

      Hello, do you have to add red wine to the short ribs or what’s a good substitute for red wine ?

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        April 25, 2022 at 10:46 am

        Hi Nicole! If you don’t want to use red wine, you can use additional beef broth instead. Use the same amount as you would the red wine. Thank you for your question, and enjoy!

        Reply
      • Rena says

        October 01, 2022 at 4:57 pm

        I wonder have you ever made this from frozen? I have short ribs in the deep freezer and would prefer not to have to wait for them to thaw. What are your thoughts?

        Reply
        • Em Beitel says

          November 22, 2022 at 10:05 am

          Hi Rena! We have not made them from frozen and recommend letting them thaw first before cooking them. However, you may be able to make it work by cooking them on high for an hour, then turning the slow cooker down to low for the remainder of the cook time.

          Reply
    3. frank marciari says

      May 30, 2022 at 12:21 pm

      5 stars
      Nice recipe!
      Only change for me was to flour the ribs lightly s&p before browning. I cut extra carrot & celery also.

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        June 06, 2022 at 10:47 am

        That’s awesome, Frank! Thank you for sharing, we’re glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    4. Judy Campo says

      September 01, 2022 at 11:25 am

      I just made this amazing recipe using all the ingredients. It’s pretty much how I make it & it is delicious! Served over mashed potatoes!

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        September 01, 2022 at 4:39 pm

        That’s awesome, Judy! We’re so glad you enjoyed it – thank you!

        Reply
    5. Margy McCalmon says

      October 24, 2022 at 9:44 pm

      I could only find boneless short ribs that look a bit thin and I’m making only a pound and a half since it’s just the 2 of us! Any suggestion on cooking time? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        November 22, 2022 at 10:10 am

        Hi Margy! For a pound and a half of boneless beef short ribs, I would cook them for about 4 hours. Check on them and if they’re tender and shredding, they’re good to go.

        Reply
    6. Emma wong says

      November 19, 2022 at 10:40 pm

      Can I use a dutch oven over the stove? How long would it take to do it on the stove in a dutch oven?

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        November 22, 2022 at 10:21 am

        Hi Emma! You could. I have not done this myself, but personally I would cook them for 3½-4 hours at a simmering heat (covered with a lid). You want to keep it simmering, so you’ll have to check in on the ribs frequently to make sure they’re staying at the right temperature and cooking properly (I would do this every 30 minutes or so).

        Reply
    7. Alexis says

      November 29, 2022 at 8:57 am

      I’ve made this recipe twice before and our family loves it! However this morning I forgot to add beef brother to the veggies. I realized after putting everything in the crockpot. Is it okay that I poured beef broth in the crock pot over top of everything or should I expect my meal to be different this time?

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        November 29, 2022 at 10:29 am

        Hi Alexis! We’re so glad you and your family enjoy it! It should be totally fine that you added the beef broth a little late.

        Reply
        • Alexis says

          November 29, 2022 at 11:03 am

          5 stars
          Thank you so much for the quick response!

          Reply
          • Em Beitel says

            December 01, 2022 at 12:28 pm

            Thank you for reaching out! I hope it turned out beautifully. Have a great holiday season!

            Reply
    8. Patrick D says

      December 11, 2022 at 1:03 pm

      Hi, for the concrete thinkers out there, could you please give a more definitive quantity for the onion, celery and carrot please? Also, is there a time frame for cooking on High? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        December 12, 2022 at 1:27 pm

        Hi Patrick! I would say about 1/2 to 1 cup diced onion (up to your preference), 1/2 cup sliced celery, and about 1/2 to 1 cup sliced carrots, as well. It’s really up to your preference but that’s how I would measure it out. Cook on High for 4-5 hours, but check the tenderness and cook for longer if needed before removing them from the slow cooker – they should easily shred when they’re tender enough. Enjoy!

        Reply
        • carmen Singer says

          January 10, 2023 at 12:13 pm

          How much tomato past, wine and balsamic vinegar do you use? The ingredient list has no quantity listed!

          Reply
          • Em Beitel says

            January 10, 2023 at 6:01 pm

            Hi Carmen! The ingredients are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post! The ingredient list further up is just a “preview” to give you an idea of what you’ll need. For these specifically you’ll need ½ cup red wine, 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, and 2 Tbsp. tomato paste.

            Reply
    9. Maria says

      January 08, 2023 at 10:35 pm

      4 stars
      Hi Isabel gosto MUITO das suas receitas sou portuguesa e Adoro aprender a cozinhar visto que nunca ninguem me ensinou na minha infancia !!!obrigada so porque GOSTEI de VER a SUA historia 😍

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        January 12, 2023 at 10:06 am

        Hi Maria! Sending this for Isabel:
        O prazer é todo meu. Por favor, deixe-me saber se você tentar alguma das minhas receitas.

        Reply
    10. Lorna... says

      January 09, 2023 at 12:32 pm

      5 stars
      I made this yesterday & it turned out amazing. I did however, gave to use celery salt as I had no celery in the fridge..
      I made the gravy to spoon over& it was delish…
      I used cornflour (as we say here in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 ) then a dollop of redcurrant jelly, just to give a hint of sweetness & finally a splash of port..
      A fantastic recipe for shortribs.. I’m so glad I found your site… I will definitely make again….😊

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        January 09, 2023 at 4:23 pm

        Hi, Lorna! Thank you so much for trying out the short ribs! We’re so glad you enjoyed it – thank you for sharing with us!

        Reply
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