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Slow cooker beef short ribs cooking in a crockpot with rich savory gravy
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Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs

These slow cooker beef short ribs cook gently in broth, herbs, garlic, and onion until incredibly tender. The long, slow cooking process turns tough ribs into juicy, fall-apart meat while the sauce develops deep savory flavor. This comforting dish delivers restaurant-quality results with minimal effort.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 533
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef
  • 3-4 lb beef short ribs (bone-in or boneless)
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper freshly ground, to taste
Flavor Base
  • 1-2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion sliced thin
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled and left whole
Cooking Liquid
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2.5 cups beef broth
  • 0.5 cup pomegranate juice or extra beef broth for deeper flavor
  • 0.25 cup Worcestershire sauce
Herbs and Aromatics
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
Optional Garnish
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

Method
 

  1. Pat the beef short ribs dry with paper towels. Season all sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the ribs for 3–4 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms. Transfer the ribs to a plate.
  3. In the same skillet, add the sliced onion and cook for about 3–4 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add the garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 30–60 seconds. Pour in about 1 cup of the beef broth and the pomegranate juice. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
  5. Pour the skillet mixture into the slow cooker. Add the remaining beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Stir gently to combine.
  6. Place the seared short ribs into the slow cooker, keeping them mostly submerged in the liquid so they cook evenly.
  7. Cover and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours until the ribs become very tender and easy to pull apart with a fork.
  8. Transfer the ribs to a serving dish and cover loosely with foil. Strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan and simmer for 20–30 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
  9. Spoon the reduced sauce over the ribs and garnish with chopped parsley or fresh thyme before serving.

Notes

For a richer sauce, allow the strained cooking liquid to simmer longer until it lightly coats the back of a spoon.
If you want extra roasted flavor, place the cooked ribs under the oven broiler for 3–5 minutes before serving.
Short ribs pair well with mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, rice, or soft polenta that can absorb the rich sauce.
When reheating, place the ribs on a plate with a spoonful of water and cover with an upside-down bowl before microwaving briefly to keep the meat moist.