These Slow Cooker Short Ribs are paired with fresh root veggies and cook long and slow in your slow cooker until they’re fall off the bone tender. I always get compliments on this dish whenever I make it for guests and they never know that the slow cooker does all of the work. Juicy, tender and so flavorful, this slow cooker short rib recipe is the perfect a hands-off comfort food that’s great for both a Sunday dinner or dinner party!
My Foolproof Slow Cooker Short Ribs Recipe That I’m So Excited to Share With You!
I’m so excited to share this recipe with you! I love my creamy braised short ribs recipe but I wanted something that was just as delicious and cooked low and slow all day in my slow cooker. The result is this recipe that’s incredibly delicious and just as (if not even easier) to make. All you need are around 30 minutes to prep your veggies and sear the short ribs before adding them to the slow cooker. Then, the slow cooker does all the heavy lifting, cooking low and slow that your short ribs come out perfectly tender.
First Things First. What are Short Ribs?
If you have never had short ribs before, you are in for a treat! Short ribs come from the beef chuck of portion of the cow. They are shorter than traditional ribs and the meat is not as tender as steaks which makes it a great choice for cooking methods like braising.
There are two main cuts of short ribs – English style and BBQ style.
- English style short ribs are what you may be used to seeing and have a large bone surrounded by meat. This style of short ribs are what we’re using in this recipe.
- BBQ style short ribs are cut into long strips and contain three small bones.
- Note: You may also be able to find boneless short ribs at your local butcher. These are my favorite type of short rib to use in something like my short rib ragu.
A Money Saving Tip
- Short ribs can be expensive so I love reserving them for special occasions or holidays. If you want to make this recipe and save a little money, I highly recommend substituting the short ribs for chuck roast instead! Just cut the chuck roast into large chunks (similar to the size of short ribs) and follow the recipe as written!
Key Ingredients: Everything You Need for These Slow Cooker Short Ribs
- Bone-In Short Ribs: like I mentioned, for this slow cooker short ribs recipe, we are using English-style short ribs. You’re going to need around 5 pounds of short ribs. A little under or a little over is fine!
- Veggies: yellow onion, celery, carrots, and garlic all work together to build a really deep flavor base. It’s amazing how such simple ingredients can pack so much flavor when used correctly.
- Balsamic Vinegar: the combination of balsamic vinegar and beef is like flavor heaven! Because I don’t drink alcohol I don’t usually have it in my kitchen so I like to use balsamic vinegar to add that extra rich, slightly sweet complexity of flavor that wine usually adds to dishes like this.
- Beef Broth: I always recommend using a low-sodium broth so you can control how things taste.
- Herbs: dried bay leaves and fresh thyme simmer alongside the short ribs to help deepen the flavor of both the meat and the gravy. I like to bundle my thyme with a little kitchen twine to make the stems easier to remove at the end of cooking.
How to Make Super Tender Short Ribs in the Slow Cooker
- Sear the ribs. You’ll start by seasoning the meatier side of the ribs with salt and pepper and then sear them all over until they develop a deep brown crust. Once they’re nice and golden, you’ll transfer the short ribs to the base of your slow cooker.
- Cook the veggies. Next sauté the veggies in the same pan that you seared the short ribs in to soak up all that flavor! Then you’ll use the balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan.
- Combine and cook. The last step before all of the hands off cooking is to pour the veggie mixture over the short ribs in the slow cooker. Then, add the broth and herbs, cover your slow cooker, and cook slowly until tender.
- Thicken. This isn’t a must but I like my gravy to be a bit thicker so I like to use a little slurry mixture to thicken the gravy. I remove the short ribs from the slow cooker, thicken my gravy, and then add the short ribs back into the gravy before serving.
A Quick Note
- After the short ribs finish cooking, I like to remove them from the slow cooker and then use a spoon to skim the layer of fat off the top of the gravy. Short ribs can be a bit fatty and I find that there can be a generous layer of fat on top after cooking.
What to Serve with Your Short Ribs
I always serve my short ribs over mashed potatoes because you need something to soak up all the gravy. I have a few different recipes to choose from:
- Brown butter mashed potatoes
- Caramelized onion mashed potatoes
- Creamy slow cooker mashed potatoes
- Brown butter mashed sweet potatoes (trust me on this one…the pairing is delicious)
As far as other veggies sides, I really like my brown butter maple roasted carrots, roasted Brussels sprouts, or roasted garlic lemon broccoli.
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions
Store: You can store the short ribs right in the slow cooker or in another airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat: I like to reheat the short ribs on the stovetop by simmering over medium-low heat until everything is heated through. You can also reheat them in the microwave or in the slow cooker set to warm.
Freeze: You can freeze slow cooker short ribs in a freezer-safe storage container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to serve.
More Really Delicious Slow Cooker Recipes
- Healthy Slow Cooker Chili
- Slow Cooker Ribs
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
- Balsamic Slow Cooker Beef
- Slow Cooker Italian Beef
- Slow Cooker Chipotle Beef Burrito Bowls
I hope you give these Slow Cooker Short Ribs Recipe a try! They’re really so delicious, easy to make, and sure to impress everyone! For more delicious recipes, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest.
If you do give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag #allthehealthythings. I love seeing what you’re cooking up in your kitchens!
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Cozy Slow Cooker Short Ribs
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 7 hours
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These Slow Cooker Short Ribs are paired with fresh root veggies and cook long and slow in your slow cooker until they’re fall off the bone tender. I always get compliments on this dish whenever I make it for guests and they never know that the slow cooker does all of the work. Juicy, tender and so flavorful, this slow cooker short rib recipe is the perfect a hands-off comfort food that’s great for both a Sunday dinner or dinner party!
Ingredients
- 5 pounds bone-in short ribs, room temperature (English cut)
- 1 medium to large yellow onion, sliced
- 4 stalks celery, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 8 cloves of garlic, smashed
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 bundle fresh thyme
- chopped parsley, for serving
- mashed potatoes, for serving
For the Arrowroot Starch Slurry
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot starch
-
2 tablespoons warm water
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. While the skillet is heating, liberally season the meatier side of the short ribs with salt and pepper.
- Once the skillet is hot, add the olive oil. Then, place half the short ribs in the skillet, seasoned side down. Liberally season the other side of the short ribs with salt and pepper. Sear the short ribs for 5-6 minutes per side until they have developed a deep brown crust. Remove the short ribs from the skillet and place them in the base of your slow cooker. Repeat this process with the other half of the short ribs.
- Once all of the short ribs have been seared and removed from the pan, lower the heat to medium and add the sliced onion, diced celery, diced carrot, and smashed garlic. Cook the veggies for a minute and then stir in the balsamic vinegar.
- Pour the veggie mixture over the short ribs in the slow cooker. Next, add the beef broth, thyme, and dried bay leaves. Cook the short ribs on high for 5-6 hours until tender.
- Remove the short ribs from the slow cooker and use a spoon to skim the fat off the top of the braising liquid. Whisk together the warm water and arrowroot starch to make a slurry and then pour in the slurry mixture and let the gravy mixture to continue to cook for 15-30 minutes to thicken. Return the short ribs to the slow cooker, nestling them in the gravy and ensure that everything is heated through before turning off the heat.
- Serve the short ribs and gravy over mashed potatoes and enjoy!
Notes
Can’t find short ribs or need a less expensive option? A chuck roast works really well as a substitute in this recipe! Use 4-5 pounds and cut it into large chunks and then follow the recipe as written.
After the short ribs finish cooking, I like to remove them from the slow cooker and then use a spoon to skim the layer of fat off the top of the gravy. Short ribs can be a bit fatty and I find that there can be a generous layer of fat on top after cooking.
Don’t have arrowroot starch? You can substitute it for corn starch instead.
Recipe by: Ashlea Carver / All the Healthy Things | Photography by: Sasha Hooper
