American
Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs
Bone-in short ribs cook until the meat pulls cleanly from the bone in a savory red-wine broth. Serve with mashed potatoes or polenta to catch the sauce.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 8 hr
- Total
- 8 hr 20 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
Why you’ll love it
- Connective tissue melts during the long low cook.
- Red wine and tomato paste build a deep pan sauce.
- Minimal active time for a dinner that feels special.
- Bones add body to the cooking liquid.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Season short ribs on all sides with salt and black pepper.
- 2
Scatter onion, carrots, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf in the slow cooker.
- 3
Nestle the short ribs on top of the vegetables.
- 4
Whisk tomato paste, red wine, beef broth, and Worcestershire, then pour over the ribs.
- 5
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours until the meat is fork-tender.
- 6
Transfer ribs to a platter and skim fat from the cooking liquid.
- 7
Optional: simmer the liquid on the stovetop 10 minutes to thicken, then spoon over the ribs.
Pro tips
- Pat ribs dry before seasoning so the salt sticks evenly.
- Choose well-marbled bone-in ribs for the best texture.
- If alcohol is an issue, replace wine with extra broth plus 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar.
Easy substitutions
- red wine
- extra beef broth plus 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- fresh thyme
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- short ribs
- bone-in beef chuck pieces of similar weight
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate meat and sauce together up to 4 days; flavors improve overnight.
Reheating
Warm covered in a 325°F oven with sauce until heated through, about 20 minutes.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 510
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
Special occasion · Slow Cooker · High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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