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!
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Tip or Swap |
|---|---|
| Beef short ribs | Bone-in ribs give more flavor. Boneless ribs work in a pinch but may cook faster. |
| Carrots, onion, celery | The base veggies (mirepoix) add depth. Swap in parsnips or mushrooms for variation. |
| Beef broth | Use a high-quality brand or homemade broth for the best flavor. Chicken broth can work, but it will be lighter. |
| Tomato paste | Adds richness and body to the gravy. If needed, use ketchup for a slightly sweeter result. |
| Worcestershire sauce | Deepens the savory flavor. Soy sauce can be used if you’re out. |
While my recommended method is in a slow cooker, it’s also possible to cook them in an oven:
How To Cook Short Ribs Recipe In The Oven?
- Cook the veggies until tender.
- Stir in broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire, and herbs.
- Bake at 325°F for 2–2 ½ hours, flipping halfway through.
- Let rest, skim fat, and make the gravy.
Stovetop Method
- Brown the ribs and cook the veggies as above.
- Simmer gently over low heat for 2–3 hours, covered, until the meat falls off the bone.
How To Skim Fat in Short Ribs Recipe:
After cooking, the juices will have a layer of fat on top. You’ll want to remove most of it before making the gravy.
- Quick Method: Use a spoon to skim the fat off the top.
- Better Method: Pour juices into a container and chill for 1–2 hours. The fat will solidify and is easy to lift away.
- Easiest Method: Use a fat separator tool for instant results.
Featured Comment
“This recipe is amazing!!! Recommended to my whole family. They loved it! I’ve made it about 6 times now. I never knew I liked cooked carrots, until I tried these. Thanks for the great recipe!!”
– Bernadette
Storage
- Fridge: Store cooled short ribs recipe with gravy in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in sealed containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stove or in the oven until heated through.
More Comforting Dinner Recipes:
Short Ribs Recipe
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.
Your recipe looks wonderful. I don’t have a slow cooker. I’m wondering if I follow the recipe, but put the meat, and other ingredients, in the oven for about 2 1/2 hours at 375 degrees, would that work? I’m looking forward to making the recipe. Thanks.
never made short ribs before (but have had many times on holiday). So I picked some up at Cost Co. Unfortunately after reading your recipe my ribs are not cut. How do I cut them into smaller pieces ? please help🤔
This should be helpful! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4nLvtzcVsk
I made this mistake too girl, and those Costco ones are Korean short ribs. Same meat but cut long and thin. I made ina gartens short rib recipe with them anyway, and it was delicious but not anything like what I wanted or hoped for. Those are better used in a Korean or Asian fusion recipe. Get the real deal. I finally got some short ribs cut the way I needed for this recipe and will try it tonight.
If I don’t have tomato paste, would this recipe still come out good?
I’ve honestly never made it without tomato paste so I can’t tell you exactly what to expect; tomato paste adds a very intense tomato flavor
It was excellent. My wife loved it as did I!
I’m so happy to hear you guys loved these Short Ribs! Thanks for your comment! 🙂
Made these once already awesome, making again today. Do leftovers freeze well?
So glad you’ve enjoyed this recipe! I actually haven’t ever frozen this recipe, so I’m not sure how it would do, wish I could be of more help!
Can I add potatoes to this? If so, same time as carrots or while short ribs are cooking?
I’ve never tried it, but I’d think it would be fine with the carrots!
We really liked it but my wife thought it had too many herbs and counldn’t taste the beef. It is a pain to skim the grease but thanks for the tips. Definite comfort food and would make again.
Thanks Neil! You can definitely reduce the herbs for next time 🙂
This recipe is outstanding!!! The flavor is amazing and we had to substitute pork ribs (because Arkansas) but it turned out perfect! Thank you!!!
So happy you enjoyed these short ribs!! Thanks Gretchen 🙂
My husband came home
With boneless short ribs. Will this recipe still work out ok?
Bone-in will have more flavor (bones add flavor), but boneless should work okay. Might be a slightly quicker cook time and need some cornstarch to thicken up the gravy
So good! Used the oven variation, halfed the wine and added a little lemon peel and dried red pepper. Just as good, if not better, the next night…
So happy to hear that! Thanks so much for your comment and review Michael 🙂