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Crockpot Beef Short Ribs

Crockpot beef short ribs braise low and slow until fall-off-the-bone in a rich red wine and beef broth sauce. The crockpot does the heavy lifting, and a quick cornstarch slurry thickens the braising liquid for serving over mashed potatoes.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 740
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

beef short ribs
  • 4 lb bone-in beef short ribs Keep bones on for best braising flavor.
vegetables
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 garlic, minced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 3 celery, diced
braising liquid and aromatics
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup red wine Use a dry red wine for a deeper braise.
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves Remove before thickening.
pan-searing and thickening
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch Used for a slurry to thicken the sauce.
  • 0.5 salt and pepper to taste
serving
  • 1 Mashed potatoes for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sear the short ribs
  1. Season the short ribs generously with salt and pepper, then heat olive oil in a hot skillet until shimmering. Sear the ribs on all sides until deeply browned, about 6-10 minutes total, using a visual cue of dark caramelized crust.
Braise in the crockpot
  1. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, diced carrots, and diced celery to the Crockpot and spread into an even layer. Nestle the seared ribs on top so they sit partially supported by the vegetables.
  2. Whisk the beef broth, red wine, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. Pour the mixture over the ribs until the liquid reaches at least halfway up the meat.
  3. Add the dried thyme, dried rosemary, and bay leaves to the crockpot, spreading them around the ribs. Cook on Low for 7-8 hours, until the meat is falling off the bone, with the sauce turning dark red and aromatic.
Finish the sauce and serve
  1. Remove the ribs from the crockpot and set aside, then remove the bay leaves from the braising liquid. Skim off excess fat from the top using a spoon, leaving a cleaner, darker sauce.
  2. Stir cornstarch into a slurry with a small amount of the hot braising liquid, then whisk it back into the crockpot. Cook on High for 15 minutes, until the sauce thickens to a glossy coating that clings to the ribs.
  3. Serve the ribs over mashed potatoes and spoon the thickened braising sauce on top. Arrange with visible sauce pooling on the potatoes for a rich, braised look.

Notes

Pro tip: for the best depth, don’t crowd the ribs in the skillet—brown in batches if needed. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days; freeze for up to 2-3 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). To make it lower-sodium, use low-sodium beef broth and reduce added salt while keeping Worcestershire and seasoning balanced.