Updated on December 25th, 2023
Few meals are as special or as satisfying as a perfectly cooked beef short rib. The possibilities for flavor are endless. If you’ve been wondering about unique recipes to serve on a special occasion, you should absolutely try this recipe.
Slow cooker short ribs are the ideal meal to prepare before stepping out the door for the day because they involve far less hands-on activities than most other cooking techniques. After that, all you have to do is return home to extra soft meat.
In this article, we have provided a number of helpful tips, as well as the appropriate cooking instructions to follow when cooking beef short ribs in a crock pot. We’re confident that you’ll love the results you get from this recipe.
Ribs Nutrition Facts
Tips for Cooking Short Ribs in Crock Pot
Below are a number of tips we think you’ll find quite helpful when cooking short ribs in a crock pot:
Choose short ribs with marbling – Make sure to look for beef short ribs that have a lot of marbling when purchasing any cut of meat. The white fat lines extending through a beef cut are known as marbling. The more web-like marbling you can see in your cut of beef, the tastier it will be when you’re done cooking it.
Don’t skip the sear – In order to build flavor, your recipe should include searing the short ribs before you put them in the crock pot to cook. The exterior part of the meat develops a somewhat caramelized (and delicious) quality when seared. As the meat cooks in the crockpot, the flavor releases, resulting in a more flavorful dish.
To sear your beef, we advise that you make use of a cast-iron skillet. When searing your ribs, be careful not to overcrowd the pan. If it’s crowded, the ribs won’t receive a good sear, so sear them in batches. For the best flavor, your ribs should have a nicely browned exterior. That’s how you know they’ve been seared properly.
Ideal cooking time – Short ribs are generally roasted in the oven for a few hours to release the meat and get it to be exceedingly tender, However, they need to be cooked in the crockpot for at least 6 hours.
This specified cook time may seem excessive, but short ribs actually require all of it. The meat will get more tender the longer they are cooked in the slow cooker. The tissue contained in the rib meat is extremely tight, making it rather tough. As the meat cooks, the tissue will become more loosened, resulting in deliciously tender results.
Save the drippings for a delicious gravy – After removing the ribs, reserve the drippings inside the slow cooker. You can then make a gravy or sauce out of them. If you’re not sure how to make it, simply follow the directions we’ve provided in the recipe below.
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Cooking Time for Short Ribs in Crock Pot
The ideal cooking time for short ribs in a crock pot has been described in the table below:
| Cooking procedure | Cooking time |
| Cooking short ribs on LOW in a crock pot | 6 to 8 hours |
Slow Cooker Short Ribs (4 Servings)
Ingredients
- 2½ lbs. of beef chuck short ribs
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ¼ teaspoon of pepper
- 1 onion
- 8 ribs of celery or one stalk
- 3 carrots, medium-sized
- 1½ tablespoon of vegetable oil or other flavorless oil
- 1 clove of garlic crushed, or 1 teaspoon of finely diced garlic
- ½ cup of red wine
- 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- ¾ cup beef broth
- ½ tsp. rosemary dried
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- If necessary, pat your beef short ribs dry. Next, get 1 onion, celery ribs, and carrots, finely diced into small pieces.
- Season the short ribs with salt and pepper all over. Massage the meat so the seasoning sinks in properly.
- Heat up half of the vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Afterward, sear the short ribs on all its sides, do this in two separate batches so you don’t overfill the skillet. Sear the short ribs until the crust has a lovely mahogany color.
- Along with the remaining oil, pour the onion, carrots, and celery into the skillet. Turn down the heat slightly to avoid burning the vegetables.
- Cook the vegetables for a few minutes before adding 1 garlic clove, make sure it’s minced. Cook for another minute, then deglaze the pan with red wine.
- Scrape the brown pieces from the skillet’s bottom.
- Add 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, ¾ of the beef broth, ½ teaspoon of rosemary, as well as 3 bay leaves into the mixture when it begins to simmer.
- In the slow cooker, place the short ribs.
- Simmer the vegetable mixture before pouring it over the short ribs.
- Cook for 6 to 8 hours on low in the slow cooker. When the dish is finished, discard the bay leaves. Serve your slow-cooked short ribs with rice, mashed potatoes, or pappardelle (which is a thick pasta).
Recipe notes:
- This recipe calls for bone-in short ribs, but boneless short ribs work just as well.
- Season the short ribs generously using salt and pepper; this will help to enhance the flavor greatly.
- Important step: Heat up the oil in a skillet, then sear the ribs in batches so the pan doesn’t overcrowd. All appealing and flavorful short rib recipes require this crucial step.
- Giant carrot chunks can also be included in your recipe as a side dish.
This recipe for slow-cooked short ribs yields such delicious results, and we think you’ll love it too. It’s important to follow all the cooking instructions correctly to ensure that you get the best possible results. Also, make sure you choose the low and slow option so you can end up with really tender and flavorful ribs at the end of your cooking.
If you’re interested in more recipe ideas for short ribs in a crock pot, we recommend that you check out this video recipe.
