Slow Cooker Short Ribs
These slow cooker short ribs cook all day in a rich tomato and beef broth sauce, with no wine, until the meat falls off the bone.
Try my Short Ribs in Oven or Slow Cooker Beef Stew next for more easy, tender beef ideas!
Have you ever wondered why short ribs at a restaurant taste so rich and tender, yet making them at home feels hard? The secret is time. If you are looking for slow cooker short ribs that turn out soft and juicy every time, you are in the right place. You spend about 20 minutes in the morning, and the slow cooker does the rest.
Short ribs are a tough, fatty cut full of connective tissue. Fast cooking makes them chewy, but long, gentle heat melts that tissue into soft meat and a silky sauce. This recipe uses tomato paste, beef broth and a splash of apple cider vinegar for deep flavor, with no wine and no alcohol of any kind.
Ingredients List
For the best slow cooker short ribs, choose thick, meaty, well-marbled bone-in ribs. The other ingredients are simple pantry and vegetable basics. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
How to Make It
This is just the overview for these slow cooker short ribs. Scroll down to the recipe card for exact measurements and timing.
Season and brown the ribs, soften the vegetables with the tomato paste, then add everything to the slow cooker with the broth and herbs. Cook on low for 8 hours, then skim the fat and thicken the sauce on the stove.
Make Ahead Method
- These slow cooker short ribs taste even better the next day. Cook them a day ahead and chill them in the sauce.
- Once cold, the fat rises and hardens on top. Lift it off before reheating for a cleaner, silkier sauce.
- Brown the ribs and chop the vegetables the night before, then store them in the fridge so the morning prep takes just a few minutes.
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Slow Cooker Short Ribs
Course: BeefCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings30
minutes40
minutesFall-off-the-bone beef short ribs slow cooked in a rich tomato and beef broth sauce, with no wine. Easy to prep and perfect over mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
4 lbs bone-in beef short ribs
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 fresh thyme sprigs
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water (optional, to thicken)
Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving
Directions
- Season the ribs. Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels. Season all sides with the salt and pepper.
- Brown the ribs. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the ribs in batches, 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden. Move them to the slow cooker.
- Cook the vegetables. In the same skillet, cook the onion, carrots and celery for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute.
- Deglaze. Pour in 1/2 cup of the broth and the vinegar, and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Fill the slow cooker. Pour the vegetables and liquid over the ribs. Add the remaining broth, the thyme and the rosemary. The ribs should be mostly covered.
- Slow cook. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and pulls away from the bone.
- Skim and thicken. Move the ribs to a plate and cover them loosely. Skim the fat from the sauce, remove the herb stems, and simmer the sauce in a saucepan for about 10 minutes. For a thicker sauce, stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Serve. Spoon the sauce over the ribs and sprinkle with parsley. Serve hot over mashed potatoes, rice or noodles.
The USDA recommends cooking beef to a minimum internal temperature of 145F for food safety. Short ribs are cooked far past that point so the connective tissue melts, which is why they must be fork-tender before serving (USDA guidelines).
Nutritional Information
Beef short ribs are a rich, satisfying cut. They are a good source of protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12, which makes them a filling main dish.
They are also naturally high in fat, which is what makes them so tender and flavorful. Skimming the fat from the sauce at the end lowers the richness of each serving, and the vegetables in the sauce add fiber and vitamins.
Healthier Alternatives for the Recipe
You can lighten these slow cooker short ribs without losing the flavor. Here are a few easy changes:
Skim the fat well. Chill the ribs in the sauce overnight and lift off the hardened fat before reheating.
Lower the salt. Use low-sodium beef broth and taste the sauce at the end before adding more salt.
Add more vegetables. Extra carrots, celery or mushrooms soak up the sauce and make each serving more filling.
Skip the thickener. The cornstarch is optional. A simmered, reduced sauce is just as good and a little lighter.
Serving Suggestions
Spoon the sauce generously over something that can catch it. Here are my favorite ways to serve slow cooker short ribs:
Mashed potatoes. The classic choice. Creamy mash and rich sauce are made for each other.
Egg noodles. Buttery noodles are soft and comforting. Try my Beef and Noodles for another idea.
Rice or polenta. Both soak up the sauce well.
A fresh green side. Steamed green beans or roasted broccoli balance the richness.
Shredded over toast or sandwiches. Leftover meat is great piled on crusty bread.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Short ribs are easy, but a few small mistakes can spoil them:
- Skipping the browning. It takes about 10 minutes and adds a lot of flavor.
- Crowding the pan. Brown the ribs in batches so they sear instead of steam.
- Adding too much liquid. The ribs release their own juices. They should be mostly covered, not floating.
- Opening the lid. Every peek lets heat out and adds cooking time.
- Stopping too early. If a fork does not slide in easily, give the ribs another 30 to 60 minutes.
- Not skimming the fat. Short ribs are rich, and spooning off the fat gives a much better sauce.
- Using lean cuts. Choose well-marbled, bone-in short ribs for the best texture.
Storing Tips for the Recipe
Slow cooker short ribs keep very well, so they are great for meal prep. Here is how to store them:
Refrigerating. Store the ribs in their sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezing. Freeze the ribs with the sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge.
Reheating. Warm them gently in a covered pot over low heat, or in the oven at 300F, until hot all the way through. Add a splash of broth if the sauce is too thick.
Cooling safely. Do not leave cooked ribs out for more than 2 hours. Move them to the fridge as soon as they have cooled a little.
Conclusion: Restaurant Flavor, Slow Cooker Ease
These slow cooker short ribs prove that a deeply flavorful dinner does not need wine or hours of watching the stove. A little prep in the morning gives you tender meat and a rich sauce by evening.
Serve them over mashed potatoes, noodles or rice, and save the leftovers. They taste even better the next day.
FAQ
Do I have to brown the short ribs first?
You can skip it when you are short on time, and the ribs will still be tender. Browning gives the sauce much deeper flavor, so I recommend it when you can.
How long do short ribs take in a slow cooker?
Plan on 8 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high. They are ready when the meat is very tender and pulls away from the bone.
Why are my short ribs tough?
They usually need more time. Keep the lid on and cook another 30 to 60 minutes, then check again.
Can I use boneless short ribs?
Yes. Boneless short ribs cook a little faster, so start checking them about an hour earlier. Bone-in ribs give a richer sauce.
What gives the sauce depth without wine?
Tomato paste cooked until dark, good beef broth, the browned bits from the pan, and a splash of apple cider vinegar. Together they make a rich, balanced sauce with no alcohol.
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