Description
Tender, fall-off-the-bone beef short ribs braised in a rich red wine and herb sauce. This slow cooker recipe requires minimal prep and delivers deep, complex flavors perfect for a cozy dinner.
Ingredients
- 2–3 pounds beef short ribs (bone-in preferred)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt and black pepper (to taste)
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, chopped into chunks
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 cup dry red wine (e.g., Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Pinot Noir)
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 4–5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the ribs in batches for 2-3 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms. Remove to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the skillet. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until onions soften. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Deglaze the pan with red wine, scraping up brown bits. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Add beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
- Place sautéed vegetables in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Nestle the seared ribs on top. Pour the liquid over the ribs (liquid should come halfway up the ribs).
- Cover and cook on Low for 8-10 hours or on High for 4-6 hours until meat is fork-tender.
- Remove ribs to a platter. Pour braising liquid into a saucepan and skim off excess fat.
- Simmer the sauce on the stove for 5-10 minutes until reduced and thickened. Adjust seasoning.
- Return ribs to sauce or pour sauce over ribs. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
Notes
[‘Do not skip the searing step; it adds essential depth of flavor via the Maillard reaction.’, ‘Pat meat dry before searing to ensure a good crust rather than steaming.’, ‘Use a dry red wine you would enjoy drinking; avoid cooking wine.’, ‘Skim fat from the sauce before serving for a cleaner taste.’, ‘Sauce may be thin after slow cooking; reducing it on the stove concentrates flavor and thickens it.’, ‘Bone-in ribs provide more flavor to the sauce, but boneless can be used with slightly adjusted cooking time.’]
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion of ribs wi
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 35
Keywords: slow cooker, beef short ribs, fall-off-the-bone, braised beef, red wine sauce, comfort food, meal prep, gluten-free option