Short Ribs Recipe
Tender, fall-off-the-bone short ribs braised all day in a slow cooker, bubbling with rich, savory juices. Pure comfort food magic.
Ingredients
- 4 lb beef short ribs look for well-marbled pieces; trim excess fat if desired
- 1 tbs kosher salt Diamond Crystal or Morton
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour substitute 1/4 cup cornstarch for gluten-free
- 2 tbs olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 large yellow onion chopped (sweet Vidalia works great)
- 2 carrots carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 celery stalks celery stalks sliced on the bias
- 4 cloves garlic smashed
- 2 tbs tomato paste I love Cento
- 1 cup dry red wine Cabernet or Malbec adds depth
- 2 cups beef broth Kitchen Basics or homemade
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 units fresh thyme
- 2 units bay leaves
Instructions
- Pat ribs dry, then season all over with salt and pepper. Lightly coat in flour—this helps thicken the braising liquid.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown ribs in batches, about 3 minutes per side, until golden-brown (don’t crowd the pan). Transfer to slow cooker.
- In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Saute for 5 minutes until edges begin to caramelize. Stir in garlic and tomato paste; cook 1 minute.
- Pour in red wine, scraping up brown bits (that fond is pure flavor). Let it bubble 2-3 minutes to burn off the alcohol. Pour veggies and wine into the slow cooker. Add beef broth, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours (or HIGH for 4–5 hours)—you’re aiming for meat that slips off the bone with a gentle pull.
- Remove ribs and herbs. Strain sauce into a fat separator or skim with a spoon; return meat to cooker and pour sauce over. Serve over creamy mashed potatoes, polenta or buttered noodles; garnish with fresh parsley for a pop of color.
Notes
Choose grass-fed ribs for richer flavor. Prep veggies while ribs brown to save time. Chilling the sauce overnight makes fat skimming easier.