Description

Tender, fall-apart beef short ribs slow-cooked with red wine, beef broth, and aromatic vegetables for a rich, savory comfort food meal that requires minimal effort.

Ingredients

Scale

3–4 lbs beef short ribs (bone-in preferred)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
6–8 garlic cloves, smashed
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup dry red wine (Cabernet or Merlot)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried thyme
2 dried bay leaves
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Carrots and celery, chopped into large chunks (optional)
1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water (for thickening, optional)

Instructions

Pat beef short ribs dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and black pepper.
Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear ribs in batches for 2-3 minutes per side until browned. Remove and set aside.
In the same skillet, sauté onions, carrots, and celery for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves. Cook for 1 minute.
Deglaze the pan with red wine and beef broth, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
Place seared ribs in a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour the vegetable and sauce mixture over the ribs, ensuring they are mostly submerged.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours until meat is fork-tender.
Remove ribs and vegetables. If desired, whisk cornstarch slurry into the liquid and cook on HIGH for 15-20 minutes to thicken the sauce.
Discard bay leaves. Serve ribs with sauce spooned over the top, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

Do not skip the searing step as it adds significant flavor. If the sauce is too thin, use a cornstarch slurry to thicken. For best results, make the recipe a day ahead to allow flavors to meld and fat to solidify for easy removal. Do not cook frozen ribs directly in the slow cooker; thaw them first.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6-8 hours
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1-2 ribs with sauce
Calories: 650
Sugar: 4
Sodium: 800
Fat: 45
Saturated Fat: 18
Carbohydrates: 8
Fiber: 2
Protein: 40

Keywords: crockpot beef short ribs, slow cooker ribs, easy beef recipe, comfort food, fall off the bone ribs, red wine braised ribs