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Crockpot Beef Short Ribs

Crockpot beef short ribs are browned in a skillet, then slow-cooked with red wine, beef broth, vegetables, and herbs until fork-tender. A quick cornstarch thickening step turns the braising liquid into a rich sauce to spoon over the ribs.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 9 hours 12 minutes
Total Time 9 hours 32 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the short ribs
  • 3.5 lb beef short ribs bone-in
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
For the braising liquid
  • 1 yellow onion medium, chopped
  • 2 carrots medium, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
For the sauce
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cold water

Equipment

  • 1 12-inch skillet
  • 1 6-quart slow cooker

Method
 

Brown and assemble
  1. Pat the short ribs dry and season them all over with the salt and pepper.
  2. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and brown the ribs in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
  3. Transfer the browned ribs to a 6-quart slow cooker.
  4. Add the onion and carrots to the skillet and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
  6. Pour in the wine, scrape up the browned bits, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
  7. Stir in the beef broth, then pour the mixture over the ribs.
  8. Add the thyme and bay leaves to the slow cooker.
Slow-cook
  1. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the ribs are fork-tender.
Finish the sauce
  1. Transfer the ribs to a platter and cover loosely with foil.
  2. Remove the bay leaves and thyme stems from the slow cooker and skim excess fat from the surface.
  3. Whisk the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl until smooth, then stir the mixture into the slow cooker.
  4. Cook uncovered on HIGH for 15 to 25 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
  5. Spoon the sauce over the ribs to serve.

Notes

Brown the ribs in batches without crowding the skillet for better browning. Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days; freeze for up to 3 months. For an alcohol-free option, replace the red wine with additional beef broth.