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Crockpot Short Ribs are the perfect slow cooker comfort food. Beef ribs are seared and then braised in a red wine sauce until fall-off-the-bone tender.

The slow-cooking method results in beef with excellent flavor that is fork-tender. Our crockpot swiss steak and Mississippi pot roast are two examples of that. This Crockpot short ribs recipe is our newest. The meat gently pulls away from the bone and melts into the sauce. Serve over cheesy mashed potatoes for a cozy meal at home.

Make These Short Ribs When You Want a Fancy Dinner with Minimal Effort

Pot roast is my go-to comfort meal. I often request french onion pot roast, garlic pot roast or swedish pot roast for my birthday dinner. I love it served with garlic mashed potatoes and gravy.

When I want a dinner that feels a little special but doesn’t require standing at the stove all night, these slow cooker short ribs are what I make. A quick sear builds flavor, then the crock pot takes over.

It’s the kind of meal that looks impressive on the plate, tastes like it came from a restaurant, and still fits into a busy day at home. The best of all worlds!

Carrots cook alongside the ribs so a veggie is built into the dish, but serve with a piece of asiago bread and a side salad, rice or buttered noodles to make a complete meal.

You may also love our crockpot pork ribs, pork rib marinade, blueberry bbq ribs, fork tender pork ribs, and vegetarian corn ribs.

Enjoy! -Julie

Ingredients

Beef short ribs are easy to find in a grocery store. Ask the butcher if you don’t see them. I used bone-in ribs since the bone adds flavor, but boneless would work, too!

If you prefer not to use wine, then just add extra beef broth with a splash of Balsamic vinegar.

Fresh herbs like rosemary add a lot of flavor to the crockpot short ribs. Fresh thyme would be excellent too!

Many short rib recipes call for mushrooms. They aren’t my favorite so I leave them out of our version, but you can add them if you’d like.

See the recipe card for full ingredients and amounts.

slow cooker short ribs on a plate with fresh herbs

Crockpot Short Ribs

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Crockpot Short Ribs are the perfect slow cooker comfort food. Beef ribs are seared and then braised in a red wine broth until fall-off-the-bone tender.

Servings 4

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 7

Total Time 7 15

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Ingredients

2.5-3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper to season
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups yellow onion diced
1 cup carrots diced
1 cup celery diced
5 cloves garlic minced
1 cup dry red wine Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot
1 1/2 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with water)
fresh parsley for serving

Instructions

Season the short ribs generously with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat a large skillet on medium-high and coat with olive oil. Sear the ribs on all sides until a golden crust forms. Place into the slow cooker base. 2.5-3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs, coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper, 2 tablespoons olive oil
Add the onions, carrots and celery into the same pan without washing. Allow the vegetables to cook down for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic. 1 ½ cups yellow onion, 1 cup carrots, 1 cup celery, 5 cloves garlic
Pour the red wine into the skillet and simmer for 3-4 minutes until the wine reduces a little bit. Pour the mixture over the short ribs. 1 cup dry red wine, 1 ½ cups beef broth
Whisk the Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce into the beef broth and then pour over the short ribs. Add the rosemary and bay leaf on top and secure the lid. 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, 1 bay leaf
Cook on high for 5-6 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. The ribs should be very tender when pierced with a fork.
Remove the short ribs from the slow cooker. Strain the broth for smoothness and add the cornstarch slurry into it so that it thickens. Serve the short ribs with some chopped fresh parsley and the savory sauce. 2 tablespoons cornstarch slurry, fresh parsley

Notes

If you prefer not to use wine, then just add extra beef broth with a splash of Balsamic vinegar.

Stir in a tablespoon of butter at the end for a glossy finish and some extra richness.

Freeze leftover short ribs in sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat back in the slow cooker or microwave until heated through.

Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.

The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 4, with 1 serving being ¼ of the beef and gravy. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **

Nutrition

Author Julie Clark

Course comfort food, Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, hearty, traditional

Calories 529

Keyword beef, one-pot, savory, slow-cooked

How to Make Crockpot Short Ribs: Step by Step

Sear the short ribs. Season the short ribs generously with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat a large skillet on medium-high and coat with olive oil. Sear the ribs on all sides until a golden crust forms. Place into the slow cooker base.

Make the sauce. Add the onions, carrots and celery into the same pan without washing. Allow the vegetables to cook down for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic. Pour the red wine into the skillet and simmer for 3-4 minutes until the wine reduces a little bit. Pour the mixture over the short ribs.

Add everything to the slow cooker. Whisk the Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce into the beef broth and then pour over the short ribs. Add the rosemary and bay leaf on top and secure the lid. Cook on high for 5-6 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. The crockpot short ribs should be very tender when pierced with a fork.

uncooked slow cooker short ribs in a pot

Thicken the sauce. Remove the short ribs from the slow cooker. Strain the broth for smoothness and add the cornstarch slurry into it so that it thickens. Serve the short ribs with some chopped fresh parsley and the savory sauce.