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slow cooker beef short ribs - featured image

Tender Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs Recipe Perfect for Easy Red Wine Sauce Meals

  • Author: zack
  • Total Time: 7 hours 20 minutes to 8 hours 20 minutes (slow cooker low) or 4 hours 20 minutes to 5 hours 20 minutes (slow cooker high)
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x

Description

This slow cooker beef short ribs recipe delivers tender, fall-off-the-bone meat in a rich, velvety red wine sauce. Perfect for cozy evenings, it requires minimal effort with maximum flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 ½ cups dry red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot recommended)
  • 1 cup low sodium beef broth
  • 3–4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (optional, for thickening)

Instructions

  1. Pat the beef short ribs dry with paper towels, then season generously with salt and black pepper on all sides.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Sear the ribs in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply browned.
  3. Remove ribs and set aside. In the same skillet, sauté sliced onions and carrots for 5 minutes until softened, stirring often.
  4. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes until deepened in color.
  6. Pour in 1 ½ cups red wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to lift browned bits. Simmer for about 3 minutes to reduce slightly.
  7. Add 1 cup beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, fresh thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer.
  8. Transfer seared ribs to the slow cooker and pour the wine and vegetable mixture over them, ensuring ribs are mostly submerged.
  9. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender and sauce is thickened.
  10. Optional: Remove ribs and keep warm. Mix 2 tablespoons flour with cold water to make a slurry, stir into slow cooker liquid, and cook uncovered on high for 10-15 minutes until sauce thickens.
  11. Return ribs to sauce or plate individually, spooning sauce generously on top before serving.

Notes

For gluten-free, substitute all-purpose flour with cornstarch or arrowroot powder. Use a dry red wine you enjoy drinking for best flavor. Avoid lifting the slow cooker lid during cooking to maintain temperature. If ribs are not tender after minimum time, cook longer on low. The flour slurry thickens the sauce without lumps. Leftovers store well in fridge up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 7-8 hours (slow cooker low) or 4-5 hours (slow cooker high)
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: About 6 ounces (170
  • Calories: 500
  • Sugar: 3
  • Sodium: 350
  • Fat: 35
  • Saturated Fat: 12
  • Carbohydrates: 8
  • Fiber: 1
  • Protein: 40

Keywords: slow cooker beef short ribs, red wine sauce, comfort food, easy dinner, slow cooker recipe, beef ribs, cozy meals

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Find it online: https://flavorfullrecipes.com/tender-slow-cooker-beef-short-ribs-recipe-perfect-for-easy-red-wine-sauce-meals/