Description
Incredibly tender Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs braised to perfection with aromatic vegetables and herbs. This foolproof recipe creates fall-off-the-bone meat with a rich, restaurant-quality sauce. Perfect for special occasions or effortless weeknight dinners with maximum flavor and minimal hands-on time.
Ingredients
4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs (6–8 pieces)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large onions, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 large carrots, cut into chunks
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 cups beef broth
1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Instructions
1. Remove short ribs from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to bring to room temperature.
2. Pat ribs completely dry with paper towels to ensure proper browning.
3. Season all sides generously with salt and pepper, then dust lightly with flour, shaking off excess.
4. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
5. Working in batches, sear short ribs for 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden brown on all sides.
6. Transfer seared ribs to slow cooker, arranging bone-side down in a single layer.
7. Reduce skillet heat to medium and add onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes, scraping up browned bits.
8. Add minced garlic and tomato paste to skillet, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
9. Pour in beef broth and crushed tomatoes, stirring to combine all ingredients.
10. Add bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and rosemary to the mixture.
11. Pour entire vegetable and liquid mixture over short ribs in slow cooker, ensuring liquid comes halfway up the ribs.
12. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 5-6 hours, until meat is fork-tender and pulls away from bone easily.
13. Carefully transfer cooked ribs to a serving platter and tent with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes.
14. Strain braising liquid through fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan, pressing on solids to extract flavor.
15. Skim excess fat from surface using a ladle or fat separator.
16. Simmer strained sauce over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes until reduced by half and thickened.
17. Pour sauce over short ribs and serve immediately with your choice of sides.
Notes
Room temperature meat sears better and cooks more evenly—plan ahead for this step.
Never skip the searing step as it creates essential flavor through the Maillard reaction.
Don’t lift the slow cooker lid during cooking—each peek adds 15-20 minutes to total time.
Ribs should fit in a single layer in the slow cooker without stacking for even cooking.
The braising liquid should come halfway up the ribs, not completely submerge them.
Meat is done when a fork slides in easily and meat falls apart with gentle pressure.
Store leftovers in braising liquid for up to 4 days in refrigerator or freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat, place in covered dish in 325°F oven for 25-30 minutes or use slow cooker on LOW for 1-2 hours.
For thicker sauce, reduce it longer or add cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold water).
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 540
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1-2 short ribs
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 42g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 145mg
Keywords: slow cooker beef short ribs, braised short ribs, beef short ribs recipe, easy short ribs, tender beef ribs