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Crockpot Beef Short Ribs

Crockpot beef short ribs cook low and slow until fall-apart tender, with a glossy red wine sauce made from crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and herbs. Serve them over creamy mashed potatoes or polenta for a hearty American main dish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef short ribs and braising sauce
  • 4 lb bone-in beef short ribs
  • 1 cup dry red wine Cabernet or Merlot
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 onion large, diced
  • 4 clove garlic minced
  • 2 stalk celery diced
  • 2 medium carrots diced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 1 mashed potatoes or creamy polenta for serving
  • 1 fresh thyme garnish
  • 1 parsley garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep the short ribs
  1. Season the short ribs generously with salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika, coating all sides with an even layer.
  2. Place the seasoned short ribs in the slow cooker in a single layer as much as possible.
Build the sauce in the slow cooker
  1. Whisk together the red wine, beef broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar until the tomato paste is fully loosened.
  2. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, diced celery, and diced carrots to the slow cooker.
  3. Sprinkle in the dried thyme and dried rosemary over the vegetables, then pour the sauce over everything so the meat is mostly covered.
Slow cook until tender
  1. Cook on low for 8–9 hours until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender, checking that the sauce is gently bubbling around the edges.
  2. Remove the ribs and skim excess fat from the surface of the sauce so it looks glossy and not greasy.
Serve
  1. Serve the ribs over mashed potatoes or creamy polenta, spooning the sauce generously over the top for a glossy coating.
  2. Garnish with fresh thyme and parsley right before serving.

Notes

For best flavor, let the ribs rest 10 minutes after cooking; the sauce thickens slightly and clings better to the meat. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; freeze the ribs and sauce (without fresh herbs) for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat until hot. For a lighter option, skim more fat before serving or use a no-sugar-added tomato paste and reduce the brown sugar to 1/2 tbsp.