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This Slow Cooker Beef Ribs recipe will quickly become a favorite for family dinner! These melt-in-your-mouth, tender beef short ribs are so flavorful. Cooked low and slow in a rich red wine sauce with carrots and onions, this is the best recipe for short ribs ever!
Slow cooker beef is so delicious and tender! By far, these are the most delicious beef short ribs we have ever made. One try of this easy recipe, and we know you will agree!
They take just 15 minutes of prep and completely hands-off cook time with just two pots to clean. What could be better?
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Equipment
To make this crockpot beef short ribs recipe, you will need:
- A skillet for searing the beef
- Your slow cooker
- A knife for chopping the vegetables
One of the best things about making slow cooker beef recipes is that you have very little to clean up after! If you ask us, the fewer the dishes, the better, right?
Just like our Instant Pot Beef Recipes, you’ll be saving yourself some dishes making these ribs!
And, these beef ribs are totally hands-off. Once you’re done searing the beef and prepping the vegetables, it’s just a matter of waiting. And trust us, the waiting is the hardest part! This recipe smells amazing while it’s cooking.
Ingredients
- beef chuck short ribs
- salt and pepper
- onion
- celery
- carrots
- vegetable oil (or other flavorless oil), divided
- garlic, crushed
- red wine
- balsamic vinegar
- tomato paste
- beef broth
- dried rosemary
- bay leaves
The ingredients are very simple, but the combination of flavors is incredible. Everything is intensified by cooking in red wine and beef broth for a truly delicious slow cooker dinner!
This is one of our favorite slow cooker beef recipes, and we’re sure that once you try it, you will agree. It is always a hit and perfect for a weekday dinner or even a Sunday meal idea.
Instructions
- Pat the beef chuck short ribs dry, then sprinkle them all over with salt and pepper. Coat them well with seasoning to intensify the flavor.
- Finely chop onion, celery (or 1 stalk), and carrots.
- Warm vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs on all sides in two batches – don’t overcrowd the skillet. Sear just until you have a nice mahogany crust on all sides. After browning, add the short ribs to the slow cooker in one layer with the bones facing up.
- Add the diced onion, celery, and carrots to the skillet with the remaining vegetable oil. Reduce the heat just slightly as needed, so the vegetables do not burn.
- Cook for 2 minutes, then garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add red wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet – that’s flavor!
- As the skillet starts to simmer, add balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, beef broth, rosemary, and bay leaves. Allow it to come to a simmer again, then pour the mixture over the short ribs in the slow cooker.
- Turn the slow cooker to low and cook for 6 to 8 hours. Remove the bay leaves when the ribs are done cooking and discard them. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Make sure you don’t overcrowd the pan when searing your short ribs. They won’t get a nice sear if it’s crowded, so it’s best to sear in batches. You want a beautifully browned crust on your short ribs for the most flavor.
- Season your beef short ribs generously! A nice coating of salt and pepper means better flavor and a beautiful sear.
- When choosing any cut of beef, look for beef that has plenty of marbling. Marbling refers to the white lines of fat running through a cut of beef. The more web-like marbling there is, the more flavorful your cut of beef will be!
- Save the drippings in the slow cooker after removing the short ribs. You can make them into a sauce or gravy! Check our instructions below for how to use the drippings for a beef sauce or gravy.
Serving Size
This recipe serves 4. Perfect for family dinner! To scale up for a larger serving size, follow these instructions:
- 6 servings: Multiply ingredients by 1.5 (ex. 3.75 pounds beef short ribs).
- 8 servings: Double all ingredients
Make sure to use a larger skillet if necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Short Ribs?
Beef chuck short ribs are a cut of beef from the front section of the backbone area. They generally have beautiful marbling, making them a perfect choice for braising.
There are two primary cuts of beef short ribs, including flanken short ribs and English-style short ribs.
- Flanken short ribs: The bones are cut into short 1-2″ lengths. Sometimes, cross-sections of ribs will be left in a strip. Or, they are sold in separate pieces, as in this recipe.
- English-style short ribs: These ribs have larger pieces of bone left in, and the meat is cut parallel to the bone.
Should I use Boneless or Bone-in Short Ribs?
Whether you use bone-in short ribs or boneless is up to preference, but for this recipe, we use bone-in beef chuck short ribs. Try both and see which you prefer!
Either way, you are guaranteed a delicious meal.
What is Deglazing?
Deglazing a pan is a cooking technique that refers to adding a liquid to a pan to loosen up browned bits from searing. This will give you so much flavor and creates a perfect sauce!
The sauce created from deglazing the pan can be used as a gravy. We add the sauce to the slow cooker with the beef short ribs. Cooking it in the pan first after searing means more flavor!
Save the drippings from the slow cooker to make into a sauce or a gravy.
How to Make Sauce from Beef Drippings
- Remove the short ribs from the slow cooker, then pour the juices into a pan.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat.
- Simmer until the sauce reduces, about 15 minutes.
How to Make Gravy from Beef Drippings
- Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a skillet. Add 2 Tablespoons of flour, and quickly stir into a paste.
- Pour the drippings from the slow cooker into the pan with the roux while stirring. Heat over medium-high heat until it thickens.
This easy beef sauce or beef gravy is perfect for serving over the short ribs and any side dishes you make with it, like Creamy Mashed Potatoes.
Are Beef Short Ribs Keto Friendly?
One serving of this beef ribs recipe has around 9 carbs. This is a great choice for a keto-friendly meal!
Serve it with low-carb vegetable side dishes or cauliflower mashed potatoes to keep it keto-friendly.
Is this Recipe Gluten-free?
Yes! All of the ingredients necessary to make this Slow Cooker Beef Ribs recipe are gluten-free. The only ingredient you may want to double-check is the beef broth, but most varieties will be gluten-free.
Similar Recipes
Looking for more of the best beef recipes to try? Give these a try:
- Korean Beef Bulgogi Bowls
- Easy Keto Hamburger Casserole
- Instant Pot Salisbury Steak with Keto Gravy
- Keto Beef and Broccoli
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📋 Recipe
Slow Cooker Beef Ribs Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds beef chuck short ribs
- ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper approx., or more to taste
- 1 onion
- 8 ribs of celery or 1 stalk
- 3 medium carrots
- 1½ Tablespoons vegetable oil or other flavorless oil, divided
- 1 clove garlic crushed (or 1 teaspoon minced garlic)
- ½ cup red wine
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- ¾ cup beef broth
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- Pat 2½ pounds beef chuck short ribs dry, then sprinkle them all over with salt and pepper. Coat them well with seasoning to intensify the flavor.
- Finely chop 1 onion, 8 ribs of celery (or 1 stalk), and 3 medium-size carrots. Warm ¾ Tablespoon vegetable oil (half of your 1½ Tbsp.) in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs on all sides in two batches – don’t overcrowd the skillet. Sear just until you have a nice mahogany crust on all sides. After browning, add the short ribs to the slow cooker in one layer with the bones facing up.
- Add the diced onion, celery, and carrots to the skillet with the remaining ¾ Tablespoon vegetable oil. Reduce the heat just slightly as needed, so the vegetables do not burn.Cook for 2 minutes, then add 1 clove of crushed garlic (or 1 tsp. minced garlic) and cook for 1 minute more. Add ½ cup red wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet – that’s flavor!As the skillet starts to simmer, add in 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 Tablespoons tomato paste, ¾ cup beef broth, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, and 3 bay leaves. Allow it to come to a simmer again, then pour the mixture over the short ribs in the slow cooker.
- Turn the slow cooker to low and cook for 6 to 8 hours. Remove the bay leaves when the ribs are done cooking and discard them. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Marbling refers to the white lines of fat running through a cut of
beef.
Nutrition
This recipe for beef short ribs was originally published on Sunday Supper with the title Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs. Photos by Caroline Williams.
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