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–+ servings
Slow Cooker Short Ribs on top of mashed potatoes with Au Jus and carrots.
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Slow Cooker Short Ribs

These Slow Cooker Short Ribs are so flavorful and melt-in-your-mouth tender! They're served with carrots, a mouth-watering red wine sauce, and pair perfectly with ​mashed potatoes​.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time7 hours
Total Time7 hours 25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, French
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 613kcal
Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

Seasoning

  • Kosher salt to taste. See notes
  • ¾ teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper, chili powder (optional)

Meat/Veggies/Braising Liquid

  • 3 ½ - 4 lbs. beef short ribs bone-in or boneless. See notes.
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion sliced
  • 5 whole garlic cloves peeled
  • 1 cup dry red wine see notes
  • 1 beef bouillon cube
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 cups Beef broth
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 lbs. carrots cut into halves or thirds
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch + 3 tablespoons COLD water
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Key Tip: Measure all ingredients before beginning.
  • Pat the short ribs dry and sprinkle with an even layer of salt on all sides (see notes for quantity recommendation). Combine the remaining seasonings and sprinkle them over the meat. Toss to coat and rub it over the surface of each side.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the meat in batches for about 1 minute per side and about 4-5 minutes per batch. Leave room around each piece during searing. Remove and transfer to the crock pot, the middle should still be uncooked.
  • Turn the heat off and add the onions, garlic, and wine. Set the heat to medium and use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom and sides of the skillet, this will add more flavor to the sauce. Let the onions/garlic soften for 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the bouillon cube, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon. Transfer to the crock pot along with the beef broth, thyme, and carrots.
  • Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours.
  • Remove the carrots, tent with foil, and set aside. Use a spoon to skim excess fat from the top and switch the heat to high if it’s not already.
  • Combine the cornstarch and cold water in a small container with a lid and shake to thoroughly combine.
  • Stir the cornstarch mixture into the liquid. Cover and let it thicken for 3-5 minutes. The liquid will still be thin, like au jus, but the cornstarch adds a little thickening power.
  • Spoon the red wine sauce over mashed potatoes and serve with short ribs and carrots. A bowl may be used to hold more sauce vs. a plate.

Notes

Pro Tips:
  • Short Ribs:
    • Bone-in is Best: Bone-in ribs are infused with more flavor (known as "bone flavor infusion"), and are also juicier as the bones help regulate the temperature throughout cooking. 
    • Aim for Nicely Marbled Meat: Meat that's evenly marbled throughout will render down evenly, resulting in tender, juicy, flavorful meat.  
  • Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir are the great choices. An equal amount of beef broth + 2 tbsp red wine vinegar can be used if you don’t cook with wine.
  • Salt: Salt the meat liberally so that it has a chance to work it's way through the meat during cooking. 1 tsp. of coarse kosher salt per pound of meat is a universal guideline. If using table salt, use about 3/4 tsp per pound.
  • Searing: When searing, allow the fattier sides to render down longer than the meatier surface areas. 
  • Oven Method: If you don't have a slow cooker, you can cook this in a Dutch oven for 350° F for 2 hours, and then at 325° F for 45 minutes.
  • What to serve with Short Ribs: 
Storage:
  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Leftover short ribs do freeze well.
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 6 servings in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 613kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 53g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 1954mg | Potassium: 1542mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 25303IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 7mg