Slow Cooker Short Ribs
This slow-cooked main course of red wine braised Slow Cooker Short Ribs is a knockout! Made with wine, garlic, herbs, and mushrooms, it’s super fancy but also super easy to make.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 small yellow onions thinly sliced
- 1 pound baby mushrooms quartered
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups dry red wine I use Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
- 2 bay leaves
- mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower for serving
Instructions
- Coat the insert of your slow cooker with cooking spray; set aside.
- Season the short ribs with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the short ribs to the heated oil and cook for 5 minutes or until browned on all sides. You may have to do this in batches, depending on the size of your skillet. Transfer the browned ribs to the insert of your slow cooker and set aside.
- Return the skillet to heat; add the onions and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Stir in the beef broth and season with oregano, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram; increase the heat and bring to a boil. Then, lower the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for 3 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and pour the sauce over the short ribs. Add bay leaves.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 6 to 8 hours.
- Remove the lid and taste for salt and pepper; adjust accordingly and stir.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the ribs and mushrooms to a serving platter. Discard the bay leaves.
- Strain the cooking liquid through a mesh sieve set over a bowl or large glass mug. Remove fat from the top of the strained liquid, and transfer the liquid to a gravy boat.
- Serve the short ribs with mashed potatoes and strained cooking liquid.
Notes
- Choosing Beef Short Ribs: Opt for either "flanken" or "English" style short ribs, ensuring they are thick and chunky. Avoid extra thin flanken cuts intended for grilling.
- Quality Ingredients: Choose ribs with generous marbling, but avoid those with a thick fat cap. Aim for a meaty selection for the best flavor.
- Wine Selection: A common cooking adage is only to use wine you'd enjoy drinking. However, some chefs find good results using less expensive wines. The choice is yours! For this recipe, dry red wine is essential, with options like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, or Shiraz being highly recommended.
- Bacon: For an added flavor, consider browning the ribs in bacon grease, then crumble the bacon and serve it with the short ribs.
Nutrition
Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 196mg | Potassium: 863mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 3mg
