Refresh

This website theforkedspoon.com/wprm_print/slow-cooker-beef-short-ribs-recipe/ is currently offline. Cloudflare's Always Online™ shows a snapshot of this web page from the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine. To check for the live version, click Refresh.

Go Back
–+ servings
Logo of The Forked Spoon showing Spork
Slow cooked beef short ribs nestled in a rich red wine sauce inside a crockpot.
5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs Recipe

Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs - Let your slow cooker do all the heavy lifting while you enjoy fall-apart tender ribs with a flavorful red wine sauce. Perfect over mashed potatoes or creamy polenta.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time8 hours
Searing & Simmering30 minutes
Total Time8 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 533kcal
Chef: Jessica Randhawa

Tools

Ingredients

  • 3-4 pounds beef short ribs - about 8 short ribs, boneless or bone-in
  • Salt and pepper - to season
  • 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion - sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic - peeled and left whole
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 ½ cups beef broth
  • ½ cup red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir) - optional but highly recommended! Sub with additional beef broth.
  • ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Chopped fresh parsley and thyme sprigs - optional garnish

Instructions

  • Season the short ribs: Pat ribs dry with a paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper.
    Raw beef short ribs seasoned with salt and pepper.
  • Sear the ribs for deeper flavor: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs for 3–4 minutes per side until they’re browned all over. Don't overcrowd the skillet. Work in batches if necessary. Transfer the ribs to a clean plate and set aside.
    Six beef short ribs searing in a hot skillet until browned.
  • Sauté the onion and garlic: Return the skillet to medium heat. Add an additional tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet (if needed) and add the sliced onion. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the onions just start to soften. Then add the whole garlic cloves and cook for another minute.
    Sautéing sliced onions and garlic cloves in a skillet.
  • Add the tomato paste: Once your onions are soft and the garlic is fragrant, add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste directly to the skillet. Combine with the onions and let it cook 30-60 seconds, stirring continuously. Cooking the tomato paste removes the "raw" tomato flavor and helps develop a richer, deeper base for your sauce.
    Tomato paste is added to sautéing sliced onions and garlic cloves in a skillet.
  • Deglaze the skillet: Slowly pour in about 1 cup of the beef broth and the ½ cup of red wine (if using). As the liquid starts to bubble and steam, scrape up all the flavorful brown bits (called fond) from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer for about 2–3 minutes, just enough for the flavors to start melding and the alcohol in the wine to cook off slightly.
    Tomato paste stirred into sautéed onions and garlic as beef broth and red wine are added to deglaze the skillet.
  • Build the sauce in the slow cooker: Pour the skillet mixture into your slow cooker. Then, stir in the remaining broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves.
    Slow cooker with broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves.
  • Add the ribs: Place the short ribs in the slow cooker, nestling them into the liquid. They don’t need to be fully submerged.
    Beef short ribs placed into the slow cooker sauce mixture.
  • Slowly cook: Cover and cook on low for 7–8 hours, turning the ribs 2–3 times during cooking. Once your short ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, use tongs or a slotted spoon to carefully transfer them to a plate or serving dish. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm while you finish the sauce.
    Fully cooked short ribs in a slow cooker, fall-off-the-bone tender.
  • Strain the sauce: Place a fine mesh strainer over a medium saucepan or skillet. Carefully pour the contents of the slow cooker through the strainer to remove any solids. You should be left with a flavorful smooth liquid in the pan.
    Or, you can skip straining, remove the bay leaves, and blend the liquid with the solids for an even more flavorful sauce.
    Wire mesh strainer set over a saucepan filled with the solids that were left behind in the slow cooker.
  • Reduce the sauce: Place the pan with the strained liquid over medium heat and bring it to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced and thickened to your desired consistency.
    Slow cooker sauce reducing in a saucepan on the stovetop.
  • Serve: Enjoy your short ribs over mashed potatoes or creamy polenta with sauce spooned over the top. Garnish with fresh thyme or chopped parsley if desired.
    Slow cooked beef short ribs nestled in a rich red wine sauce inside a crockpot.

Notes

  • How much meat to get per person? You’ll need about ¾ to 1 pound of bone-in ribs per person, since the bones take up some of the weight. Boneless requires a little less—around ½ pound per person.
  • This is a low-and-slow kind of meal. In total this recipe will take about 9-10 hours to make. While you can cook it on HIGH for 5-6 hours, the meat will not turn out as tender or juicy.
  • This recipe is best with English-style short ribs. You can use boneless or bone-in, however it is my opinion that bone-in ribs taste way better. If you use boneless, check for doneness around the 6–7 hour mark, as they may cook a bit faster.
  • The cooking time remains the same no matter how many pounds of short ribs you plan to cook.
  • Add some veggies to the slow cooker to make it a complete meal. Classic examples include baby potatoes, carrots, and celery.
  • Best Sides: Serve over mashed potatoes, creamy polenta, egg noodles, or with crusty bread to soak up all that rich sauce.
Save the leftover juices:
  • Make a red wine reduction: Instructions in recipe card above.
  • Make it into a gravy:  Melt 2 tablespoons of melted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add in 2 tablespoons of flour, whisking continuously to form a thick paste. Slowly add the strained cooking juices, whisking continuously until combined. Heat gently until thickened.
  • Thicken with a cornstarch slurry: Whisk together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch + 1 tablespoon of cold water to make a slurry. Stir it into the simmering sauce and cook for 2–3 more minutes until thickened.
Storage and Freezing:
  • Allow leftovers to cool before transferring to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Thaw frozen ribs in the refrigerator overnight for best results.
  • Reheating stovetop (best method): Place the ribs and sauce in a skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. Add a splash of beef broth or water if needed, cover, and warm until heated through.
  • Reheating microwave: Place the ribs and some sauce in a microwave-safe dish, cover loosely, and heat in 30–45 second intervals, turning the ribs gently to avoid drying out.

Nutrition

Calories: 533kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 1009mg | Potassium: 1279mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 150IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 7mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @theforkedspoon and hashtag it #theforkedspoon and please leave your star rating in the comment section on this post.

Copyright © 2025 The Forked Spoon

QR Code linking back to recipe