Tender, hearty Short Ribs Recipe simmered with veggies in a rich, flavorful gravy, made easy in the crockpot, oven, or on the stovetop!
author’s note
Sunday Dinner Vibes, Any Night!
My sister lives close by and helps out with recipe testing and grabbing groceries from time to time. One day, I asked her to pick up steaks so I could test a marinade—but she came back with beef short ribs instead. We had a good laugh, and I decided to pivot that day’s plan and finally perfect this short ribs recipe I’ve been working on for a while.
And wow—it turned out even better than I hoped. Searing the beef first, then slow cooking it, gives the most amazing depth of flavor. It’s one of those recipes you pull out when you want to impress someone, but the best part? It’s incredibly simple and nearly impossible to mess up. You’re going to love it!
What Are Short Ribs
Beef short ribs with the bone come in big pieces. Look for meat with fat spread through it for great flavor. The bone helps the meat cook better and more evenly.
How To Cook This Short Ribs Recipe
- The slow cooker is the best way to cook short ribs—ultra tender and hard to mess up! Other methods can dry them out.
- For the best flavor, sear the ribs first to caramelize the surface before slow cooking.
While my recommended method is in a slow cooker, it’s also possible to cook them in an oven:
How To Cook Short Ribs In The Oven?
- Season and brown meat: Sprinkle salt and pepper on the short ribs, then brown in olive oil for about 45 seconds per side.
- Drain excess fat: Move the ribs to a plate and pour out the fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pot.
- Cook veggies: In a large oven-safe pot, cook carrots, onion, celery, and Tuscan seasoning over medium heat for 5–6 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients: Stir in garlic, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, bay leaves, beef broth, and juice until combined.
- Return ribs to the pot: Add the ribs back in and make sure they’re covered with liquid.
- Bake the short ribs: Cover the pot and bake at 325°F for 2 to 2½ hours, flipping the ribs after 50 minutes. The meat should be soft enough to pull apart with a fork.
- Let rest and finish: Let the pot sit with the lid on for 20 minutes, then spoon off the fat on top and make the gravy as directed.
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 To Skim The Fat:
After cooking, remove the beef and veggies. Pour the juices into a small saucepan and let sit for a few minutes until the fat rises. Tilt the pan and spoon off the fat from the top.
Quick Tip
If you have the time, you can skim the fat by pouring the juices into a container and chilling for a few hours. The fat will rise to the top and solidify for easy removal. If you’re short on time, try using a fat separator. It’s easy to pour out the meat juice and leave the fat behind.
More Comforting Dinner Recipes:
Short Ribs
Equipment
- Dutch oven or oven-safe, heavy-bottomed pot
- 6-quart Crock-Pot 5-quart or larger
Ingredients
- 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
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
nice!
Thanks Linda!
Great recipe. I think 6 hours on low was too long in the crock pot. My ribs were done after 4 hours. Delicious.
So happy you enjoyed! Thanks for your feedback! 🙂
Excellent recipe but my guests had to cancel while dinner cooked. Will this freeze well? They can’t return for 1 week
Absolutely incredible! A new family favorite! Cooked it in a Dutch oven in the oven and used red wine instead of juice. Fantastic!!!
I am so happy you enjoyed! Thanks Catchy! 🙂
Hi,
I am planning on making this for my birthday but its a school night. Could I sear the meat and cook down the onions the night before? That way I just dump in the crockpot the next day? Not sure how this would affect the flavor and wanted to know if you thought this was possible
I think that would be just fine!
This recipe is amazing!!! Recommended to my whole family. They loved it! I’ve made it about 6 times now. I agree, you need to add more carrots. I never knew I liked cooked carrots, until I tried these. Thanks for the great recipe!!
I am thrilled to hear this! Thanks! 🙂
Hi Chelsea, I am planning on making this recipe tomorrow. I was just wondering whether I can sear the short ribs ahead of time, the night before
How long and what oven temperature
I want to make this, can you tell me how I can cook it in the oven. Hope you can help me, thank you in advance