Crock Pot Short Ribs
Crock Pot Short Ribs are tender, juicy short ribs slow-cooked in a rich, savory broth. An easy, flavor-packed meal perfect for busy nights!
A TASTY CROCK POT BEEF DINNER
These Crock Pot Short Ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender and packed with rich, savory flavor. Slowly cooked in a delicious blend of broth, garlic, and herbs, this effortless recipe transforms simple ingredients into a delicious meal. These beef short ribs require minimal prep while your slow cooker does all the work! If you’ve ever been in the grocery store and looked at some beef short ribs and wondered what to do with them, this is the perfect recipe to try! If you’ve never tasted them, I would describe the taste as an elevated chuck roast – ha! If you like pot roast then you’ll love short ribs! The bone really does add a lot of flavor to it, trust me!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Yes, Beef Short Ribs are a great cut of meat! They are known for their rich marbling, deep beefy flavor, and fall-apart tenderness when cooked low and slow, which is why I prefer the slow cooker over braising in the oven all day. Since they have a good amount of connective tissue, they are best suited for braising, slow-cooking, or smoking, which allows the meat to become incredibly tender and flavorful. Do not try to cook these fast y’all. You’re wasting good money and time. They need to cook slow1
Beef Short Ribs come from the lower section of the cow’s ribcage, specifically from the chuck, rib, or plate primal cuts. They are the shorter portion of the rib bones, typically cut from ribs 2-5 (chuck short ribs) or ribs 6-8 (plate short ribs).
You can use boneless, but I think using the bone in ones add a lot of flavor. If you choose to use boneless ribs, keep an eye on the, so you don’t over cook and dry them out.
While you absolutely could, I think instead of keeping the oven going all day (which can use a significant amount of electricity or gas by keeping the oven going), why not put the crock pot to work – it saves on energy too!
If at all possible, don’t skip the searing. Searing gives the beef the nice brown color. You can’t get from just the slow cooker and searing helps render the fat. Sear the fat side of the ribs longer than the meaty sides. I like to sear in a cast iron skillet for even cooking.
Serve with Mashed Potatoes, egg noodles or rice to take advantage of that delicious gravy. Any sides you typically like with a Pot Roast recipe will work with this recipe. I also like to add a big green salad when making a Slow Cooker meal that already has some meat, potatoes, and basic veggies like carrots and onions.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store the gravy separately from the meat and veggies.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- bone in beef short ribs – see my ingredient image below so you know what to look for in the store. You really want that bone for maximum flavor (and generally the bone-in os going to be a bit cheaper.)
- salt and pepper – you can season them how you like. We’re cooking in broth with other seasonings which will also infuse it with flavor.
- beef broth– you can use low or no sodium opts if needed.
- Worcestershire sauce
- garlic – I find that fresh minced garlic has more flavor than the pre-minced stuff in a jar. You get more bang for your buck but if you’re just trying to throw this in the crock pot real quick before work, the jarred stuff will work in a pinch.
- onion powder
- sprig fresh rosemary
- bay leaf – I know people think a bay leaf doesn’t add flavor but I promise you it really does. It’s not strong but it does add more flavor than you might realize.
- carrots – peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces on the diagonal
- onion – cut into large wedges
- cornstarch – cornstarch dissolves much easier and is less likely to get clumpy and lumpy on you as compared to flour.
- cold water
HOW TO MAKE CROCK POT SHORT RIBS:
Salt and pepper all sides of the short ribs. In a large skillet, heat the oil on medium high heat. Sear each side of the ribs until brown, rendering the fatty sides longer than the non-fatty sides. Transfer to a slow cooker. Work in batches to not overcrowd the skillet. When all the short ribs have been seared, scrape any bits from the pan into the slow cooker for added flavor.
Pour in the beef broth to the slow cooker followed by the Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion powder, sprig of rosemary, and bay leaf. Gently stir together. Add the carrots and onions and turn the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours. The meat should fall off the bones very easily.
Remove the vegetables and meat to a serving bowl, cover with foil and strain the juice to a medium sauce pot. Cook the liquid on medium high heat for 15-20 minutes, reducing it by about half. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch and cold water together. Pour the slurry into the boiling liquid and whisk an additional 2-3 minutes. If you want your gravy thicker, you can make another slurry with another tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water.
Serve the meat, veggies, and gravy over mashed potatoes, if desired.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Slow Cooker Short Ribs
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds bone in beef short ribs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 Tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
- 3 cups beef broth (can use low or no sodium)
- 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces on the diagonal
- 2 medium onions, cut into large wedges
For the cornstarch slurry
- 4 Tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup cold water
- chopped parsley (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Season 3-4 pounds bone in beef short ribs with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper (more or less, to preference.)
- In a large skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon canola or vegetable oil on medium high heat. Sear each side of the ribs until brown, rendering the fatty sides longer than the non-fatty sides. Transfer to a 5-6 quart slow cooker. Work in batches to not overcrowd the skillet. When all the short ribs have been seared, scrape any bits from the pan into the slow cooker for added flavor.
- Pour in 3 cups beef broth to the slow cooker followed by 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 4 cloves garlic, minced, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 sprig fresh rosemary and 1 bay leaf. Gently stir together.
- Add 5 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces on the diagonal and 2 medium onions, cut into large wedges. Cover and turn the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours. The meat should fall off the bones very easily.
- Remove the vegetables and meat to a serving bowl, cover with foil. Then strain the remaining juice to a medium sauce pot. Cook the liquid on medium high heat for 15-20 minutes, reducing it by about half. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
- Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing 4 Tablespoons cornstarch and ½ cup cold water together. Pour the slurry into the boiling liquid and whisk an additional 2-3 minutes. If you want your gravy thicker, you can make another slurry with another Tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 Tablespoons of cold water and repeat the process.
- Serve the meat, veggies, and gravy over mashed potatoes with some chopped parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- I do not recommend cooking on high. Short ribs need to cook low and slow so they have time to get tender.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Delicious and super simple to make. This will be on repeat every couple of weeks.
could you prep the night before, put crockpot in the fridge and back out the day to cook?
Possibly but I haven’t tested it and it may depend on the type of crock pot you have. Some inserts (depending on the material) weren’t made to go from cold to warm – they can crack.
mine is Teflon metal material will try and let you know
Made this today and so delicious! I made a half recipe as I just cook for myself. Having no carrots on hand, I added a small can of corn near the end. Still delicious! Used WONDRA flour to make the gravy. I still have two servings left!
The most amazingly tender ribs I’ve ever had.