Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs

Melt-in-your-mouth tender beef short ribs slow-cooked in a rich red wine and aromatic herb broth.

By Cressio Rinaldi

Beef short ribs are one of the great cuts for slow cooking. They are fatty, rich and full of connective tissue, which melts away during a long, gentle cook and leaves meat so tender you can pull it off the bone with a spoon. A slow cooker is ideal, because it holds a steady, low temperature for hours.

The recipe has two stages. First, you sear the ribs in a hot skillet. A slow cooker never gets hot enough to brown meat, so this step builds the deep, roasted flavor that otherwise would be missing. Then you soften the onion and carrots in the same pan, add garlic and tomato paste, deglaze with red wine and broth, and pour it all over the ribs.

After that, you leave it alone for 7 to 8 hours. It serves four, and it tastes even better the next day.

Read this first

1. Sear the ribs well before they go in the slow cooker. This is where the flavor comes from.
2. Keep the lid on. Each peek adds time.
3. Skim the fat from the top before serving.

Prep time: 20 mins · Cook time: 8 hours · Serves 4

Ingredients

• 3 lbs Bone-in beef short ribs
• 1 large Onion, chopped
• 2 Carrots, chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 cups Beef broth
• 1 cup Red wine or extra beef broth
• 2 tbsp Tomato paste
• 4 Fresh sprigs of thyme

Instructions

1. Season the short ribs generously with salt and black pepper. Look for: Ribs that are dry on the surface and coated in salt.
2. In a large skillet over high heat, sear the ribs on all sides until deeply browned, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer ribs to the slow cooker. Look for: A deep brown crust on every side, and a pan with dark brown bits.
3. In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and sauté the onions and carrots until softened. Add garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute. Look for: Soft vegetables and a paste that has darkened to a rusty brown.
4. Pour in the wine and beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer, then pour this mixture over the ribs in the slow cooker. Look for: A bubbling liquid, with the dark brown bits dissolved into it.
5. Add the thyme sprigs. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or until the beef is incredibly tender and falling off the bone. Look for: Meat that pulls away from the bone with no resistance, in a glossy, dark sauce.

Nutrition

Amount per serving. Nutritional values are estimates calculated from the ingredients above and can vary.

• Calories: 310
• Fat: 16g
• Saturated Fat: 7g
• Carbohydrates: 28g
• Fiber: 13g
• Sugar: 4g
• Protein: 20g
• Sodium: 730mg
• Cholesterol: 50mg

Notes

• Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Freezing: Freezes very well for up to 3 months — this is a great make-ahead, freezer-friendly dinner.
• Searing First: Don't skip searing the ribs before the slow cooker — it's what builds the deep, browned flavor the sauce is built on.

Cook It With Me

Season

Pat the 3 lbs of short ribs dry and season them generously on all sides with salt and black pepper.

Sear

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Sear the ribs on all sides until they are deeply browned, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Do this in batches so the pan isn’t crowded. Move the ribs to the slow cooker as they brown.

Cook the vegetables

Reduce the heat to medium. In the same skillet, cook the chopped onion and 2 carrots until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the 4 minced garlic cloves and the 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.

Deglaze

Pour in the 1 cup of red wine and the 2 cups of beef broth, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer, then pour the mixture over the ribs in the slow cooker.

Slow cook

Add the 4 thyme sprigs. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, until the beef is incredibly tender and falls off the bone.

The Ingredients, One by One

Bone-in beef short ribs

Look for meaty ribs, with plenty of meat on top of the bone. The bone adds flavor and gelatin. Ribs cut English style, in thick blocks, are best for braising.

Onion, carrots and garlic

They sweeten the sauce and dissolve into it.

Beef broth

Two cups. Low-sodium gives you control over the final salt.

Red wine

One cup of a dry red, such as Cabernet or Merlot. You don’t need an expensive one, but don’t use one you wouldn’t drink. Extra broth is a fine substitute.

Tomato paste

It adds depth and a little sweetness.

Fresh thyme

Four sprigs infuse the sauce.

The Technique Behind It

Why sear the ribs

A slow cooker only reaches about 200 F, which is not hot enough to brown. Searing first gives the meat a deep, roasted flavor that carries into the sauce.

Why low and slow

Short ribs are tough until the collagen turns to gelatin, which happens slowly, over hours, at around 190 to 205 F. The result is tender, rich meat.

Why deglaze

The brown bits in the pan are concentrated flavor. Wine and broth dissolve them into the sauce.

How Do You Know the Short Ribs Are Done?

Done is about tenderness, not time. They should be ready between 7 and 8 hours on low.

Check	What you see	Notes
Tenderness	The meat pulls away from the bone with a fork	Tough meat needs more time.
Bone	The bone is loose and slides out	A good sign.
Temperature	195 to 205 F inside	The range where collagen has melted.

Mistakes That Cost You the Dish

• Skipping the sear The sauce tastes flat.
• Lifting the lid The temperature drops and the cook time goes up.
• Not skimming the fat The sauce is greasy.
• Cooking on high The meat can turn stringy.
• Underseasoning The sauce tastes dull.

Fix It: If This Happens, Do This

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Sauce is greasy	Fat from the ribs	Skim the top with a spoon, or chill and lift off the fat.
Sauce is thin	Lots of liquid	Reduce it in a saucepan for 10 to 15 minutes.
Meat is tough	Not cooked long enough	Cook another hour.
Sauce is bland	Needs salt	Add salt, and a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Sauce is too salty	Salty broth	Add a splash of water or a peeled potato.

What Each Ingredient Does (and What You Can Swap)

Ingredient	Its job	Swap, and what changes
Short ribs	Rich, tender beef	Beef chuck or oxtail work.
Red wine	Acidity and depth	Extra beef broth works.
Beef broth	Liquid	Chicken broth works.
Thyme	Herb	Rosemary or bay leaf work.
Carrots	Sweetness	Parsnips work.

Plan Ahead

• Make ahead: It improves overnight. Chill and skim the fat.
• Fridge: Up to 4 days.
• Reheat: Gently on the stove.
• Freezer: Up to 3 months.

What to Serve With It

Serve over creamy mashed potatoes, polenta or buttered noodles, with the sauce spooned over. A simple green vegetable on the side cuts the richness. For a thicker sauce, reduce the cooking liquid in a saucepan before serving.

Questions People Ask

About the Author

Cressio Rinaldi

Cressio Rinaldi is the recipe developer behind Cressio Recipes. He cooks, tests, and writes every recipe on the site himself — refining each one until it's simple enough for a weeknight and good enough to make again. He's not a trained chef, just someone who cooks constantly and pays close attention to what actually makes a recipe work.