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Slow Cooker Braised Short Ribs

Slow cooker braised short ribs braise low and slow in a rich red wine sauce with garlic, herbs, and vegetables. The result is fork-tender beef that pulls away from the bone, with a reduced, savory sauce for serving over mashed potatoes.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

bone-in beef short ribs
  • 4 lb bone-in beef short ribs
salt and black pepper
  • 1 salt and black pepper to taste
olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
yellow onion
  • 1 yellow onion sliced
carrots
  • 3 carrots cut into chunks
garlic
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
dry red wine
  • 1 cup dry red wine
beef broth
  • 2 cup beef broth
Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
fresh thyme
  • 2 fresh thyme sprigs
fresh rosemary
  • 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
bay leaves
  • 2 bay leaves

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Season and sear
  1. Season the bone-in beef short ribs generously with salt and black pepper on all sides. Set aside while you heat the skillet.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and sear the short ribs for 2–3 minutes per side, until deeply browned. Transfer the browned ribs to the slow cooker.
Build the braising sauce
  1. In the same skillet, sauté the yellow onion and carrots for 3–4 minutes. Stir until they begin to soften.
  2. Add the garlic and tomato paste to the skillet and stir for 1 minute. Cook just until fragrant and darkened.
  3. Pour in the dry red wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let it bubble briefly so the liquid starts to reduce.
  4. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, and bay leaves to the skillet and stir. Pour the mixture over the short ribs in the slow cooker.
Slow braise
  1. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and pulling away from the bone. Look for ribs that can be separated with minimal pressure.
  2. Remove the short ribs and skim excess fat from the sauce; discard the herb sprigs and bay leaves. Return the sauce to the slow cooker momentarily to keep it warm.

Notes

For the thickest, most spoon-coating sauce, skim the fat thoroughly after cooking and simmer the sauce on the stove for 5–10 minutes if it looks thin. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently. Freezing is yes—cool, portion, and freeze sauce with meat for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lower-sodium swap, use low-sodium beef broth and reduce added salt since the Worcestershire and seasoning can be salty.