Short Ribs

Savory, hearty Short Ribs, complete with veggies and a delicious gravy! (Prepare in a crockpot, stovetop, or oven.)

Serve these amazing Short Ribs with Mashed Potatoes, this Italian Salad, and/or some homemade rolls.

Beef Short Ribs Recipe

My sister went to the grocery store the other day to pick up some bone-in short ribs for me. However, instead of getting short ribs, she came back with bone-in rib-eye steaks. 🙂 At least it was still beef, right?

Lest any of you have the same problem as my sister did, see below for pictures of what short ribs look like 🙂

What Are Short Ribs

As you can see in the picture below, bone-in beef short ribs come in large chunks with the bone still attached. When picking out your beef, look for good marbling in the fat for the best flavor. You also want to make sure the ribs are bone-in, which helps conduct heat within the meat to ensure it cooks more evenly.

Beef short ribs are the equivalent of pork spare ribs. Beef ribs are generally a bit larger and more “meaty” than pork spare ribs. Both are delicious, in my opinion!

How To Cook Short Ribs

• The best way to cook Short Ribs is in a slow cooker. The slow cooker gets them super tender and it’s nearly impossible to mess up! While you can certainly cook them other ways, you run the risk of dried-out ribs when using other methods.
• Before putting the short ribs into a slow cooker I recommend that you sear them. This will caramelize the surface of the meat, which will really enhance the flavor of the dish – braised short ribs cooked in the slow cooker can’t be beat!

While my recommended method is in a slow cooker, it’s also possible to cook them in an oven:

How do you cook braised Short Ribs in the oven?

• Prepare the meat as indicated in the recipe–add salt and pepper and then sear in olive oil for about 45 seconds per side.
• Remove the ribs to a plate and drain off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. Add the carrots, onion, celery, and Tuscan seasoning to a large oven-safe Dutch oven and stir for 5-6 minutes over medium-high heat on the stove.
• Add in the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, bay leaves, beef broth, and 1 cup of juice. Stir. Return and submerge the short ribs in the pot.
• Put a lid on the pot/Dutch oven and transfer to the oven (325 degrees F.) Cook until the meat is fork-tender and falling off the bone, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours (flip the meat around after 50 minutes). Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to sit for 20 minutes with the lid on before serving. Skim the fat off the top of the liquid and follow recipe directions to prepare the gravy.

For this beef Short Ribs recipe you’ll need to skim the fat from the cooking juices to make the gravy. Here’s how to do it:

How do I skim the fat? 

• Once the beef is done cooking, remove the beef and vegetables from the slow cooker/ Dutch oven and place the cooking juices in a small saucepan. Let it sit for several minutes so the fat can float to the top. 
• Gently tilt the pan and with a spoon, skim off all the fat that rises to the top.

This recipe became an instant family favorite in my house. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Recipes using the same seasoning blend from this recipe:

• Toss it with a medley of Roasted Vegetables or just Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
• Add it to this Crockpot Roast.
• Stir into Mashed Potatoes for Tuscan-flavored spuds.
• Add to this Italian Sausage and Veggies dish (READER FAVORITE!) in place of the seasoning mix outlined in the recipe.

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4.93 from 40 votes

Short Ribs

By Chelsea Lords

Savory, hearty Short Ribs with veggies in a rich, delicious gravy! (Crock-Pot, stovetop, or oven-friendly!)

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 hours hours

Total Time: 5 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

• Dutch oven or oven-safe, heavy-bottomed pot
• Crock-Pot 5-quart or larger
• Aluminum foil
• Small pot

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 3 pounds bone-in short ribs well marbled
• ▢ 1 tablespoon salt
• ▢ 2 teaspoons pepper
• ▢ 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
• ▢ 2-1/2 cups carrots 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• ▢ 1 cup celery 2 stalks, sliced
• ▢ 1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth or stock
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Tuscan-Style Seasoning Blend see note 1 for homemade blend
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 2 medium yellow onions cut into 1/2-inch wedges
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ▢ 2 cups red wine Cabernet Sauvignon; or additional beef stock, or grape, pomegranate, or cranberry juice
• ▢ 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ▢ 1/4 cup water
• ▢ Fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme, and/or rosemary, optional

Instructions 

• Dab the short ribs with a paper towel and sprinkle each side with salt and pepper.
• Warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven (or oven-safe, heavy-bottomed pot) over medium-high heat. Once you can feel heat when you hold your hand 6 inches above the pot, place 3–4 short ribs (at a time) in the pot. Brown the pieces on all sides, about 45 seconds per side. (To get a good sear, don’t crowd the meat; you can work in batches.) Use the additional 2 tablespoons of oil if needed.
• Once short ribs are nicely seared with a good crust, place them in your slow cooker (5-quart or larger). Add carrots, celery, beef broth, 2 tablespoons of Tuscan seasoning blend, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf on top.
• Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of the oil in the pot. Add onions and cook until they are translucent, 4–5 minutes over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Pour in the wine. Deglaze the pan by scraping up the browned bits at the bottom as it bubbles. Bring to a boil; cook 8–10 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half (you should have 1 cup liquid without the onions). Stir in the tomato paste. Pour the reduced liquid and onions into the slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low, 5–8 hours or until meat is tender. (Or 4–5 hours on high, but low heat is recommended.)
• Remove ribs and vegetables to a serving dish, cover with foil to rest, and keep warm. Transfer cooking juices to a small pot and skim the fat (see post for more direction on this). Discard bay leaf and bring Crock-Pot juices to a boil. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into the cooking juices. Return to a boil; cook and stir 3–5 minutes or until thickened. If desired, sprinkle with additional salt and pepper. Serve gravy with ribs and vegetables. If desired, add some fresh herbs on top.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Tuscan-style seasoning blend: Combine 3 tablespoons dried rosemary, 3 tablespoons dried oregano, 3 tablespoons dried basil, 1 and 1/2 tablespoons dried thyme, and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons dried sage. Whisk all the ingredients together. Store remaining blend in a covered jar in a cool, dry, dark place. (See the post for ways to use the remaining blend.)

Leftovers: Store short ribs and gravy in separate airtight containers for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Transfer to freezer-safe containers or bags, storing up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 754kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 2245mg | Potassium: 1870mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 25037IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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