SLOW COOKER SHORT RIBS

These SLOW COOKER SHORT RIBS are an easy comfort food dinner. Fall apart tender short ribs cooked right in your crockpot.

tender meat served over mashed potatoes

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SHORT RIBS IN CROCKPOT

This meal is absolute comfort food. Tender fall-apart short ribs and the cooking juices served over mashed potatoes or rice is just what you need on a chilly winter day. And cooking these short ribs in a crockpot means you can set it and forget it until it’s time for dinner.

crockpot short ribs process collage

INGREDIENT OPTIONS:

  • Adjust the spices and herbs to fit your tastes.
  • Add more veggies if desired – such as mushrooms or potatoes.
  • Serve with mashed potatoes, rice, crusty bread, vegetables.
  • Instead of balsamic vinegar or worcestershire, you can replace with red wine.
  • You can use bone-in or boneless short ribs for this recipe. With bone is much more flavorful but either will work. Cooking times may vary with boneless varieties cooking faster.

cooked meat and veggies in crockpot

DO YOU HAVE TO BROWN SHORT RIBS BEFORE COOKING?

Yes, brown short ribs before you begin slow cooking them. This creates a better texture, flavor and juicier meat.

ARE SHORT RIBS GOOD FOR THE SLOW COOKER?

Short ribs are perfect for slow cooking because they require a long cook time to get tender. The low and slow crockpot cooking makes for the perfect fall-apart tender short ribs.

cooked short ribs with herbs and carrots

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SHORT RIBS:

CREAMY CHEDDAR MASHED POTATOESDUTCH OVEN BREADMUSHROOM CAULI RICEBAKED MAC & CHEESEOAT ROLLSPARMESAN POTATO STACKS

meat and potatoes on fork

cooked meat and veggies in crockpot

SLOW COOKER SHORT RIBS

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes

These SLOW COOKER SHORT RIBS are an easy comfort food dinner. Fall apart tender short ribs cooked right in your crockpot.

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs (about 8 ribs)
  • 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
  • ¾ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1-2 tablespoons avocado oil, more as needed
  • 2 sweet onions, peeled and cut into 1 inch thick slices
  • 6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 ½ cups beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, chopped
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 5 large carrots, cut into 1 inch thick rounds
  • Optional herbs for garnish, parsley, rosemary, thyme

Instructions

    1. Pat short ribs dry with a paper towel.
    2. Mix the cornstarch and seasonings together in a small bowl. Season the short ribs on all sides, massaging it in.
    3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and sear the short ribs on both sides until browned and a nice crust forms, about 5 minutes each side. Work in small batches and add additional oil for the next batch as needed. Transfer the seared meat into the slow cooker.
    4. In the same skillet, saute the onions and garlic until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
    5. Add the balsamic vinegar or Worcestershire sauce and deglaze the pan by scraping up the browned bits stuck to the bottom.
    6. Add the beef broth, tomato paste, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, and bay leaves. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
    7. Once boiling, remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the contents into the slow cooker, pouring everything on top of the seared short ribs.
    8. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or until the meat is tender. You may also cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours, or until the meat is tender. Add the chopped carrots into the slow cooker during the last 1-2 hours of the cooking time, depending on how soft or tender you’d like them.
    9. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with mashed potatoes, rice, crusty bread, or vegetables if desired.

Notes

If your gravy is too thin, first remove the meat and vegetables from the slow cooker and transfer to a serving platter. Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water to make a cornstarch slurry. Then mix it into the beef broth and continue to cook on high for 5-10 minutes until the broth thickens and reaches desired consistency. Keep in mind that it continues to thicken as it sits. If the gravy becomes too thick, simply add a little extra broth to thin it out.

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Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 1053Total Fat 73gSaturated Fat 31gTrans Fat 4gUnsaturated Fat 42gCholesterol 302mgSodium 1179mgCarbohydrates 19gFiber 3gSugar 9gProtein 80g

Nutritional information on WonkyWonderful is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.

slow cooker short ribs pinnable image

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2 Comments

  1. Hi Nicole
    I’m making this dish right now sure smells good !!! Thank you for the recipe & I’ll let you know how came out .

  2. I started my ribs at high for 45 minutes. They went to medium for three hours followed by slow for two hours. They are amazing. I served them with mashed potatoes, cut veggies and dip, apple slices and blueberries. I know it seems like an odd combo, but I get my family to eat veggies and fruit by doing this. I use red potatoes as well for the lower sugar content and ability to use the skins.