Red Wine Short Ribs

Slow-cooker beef short ribs with red wine, aromatics, and reduced sauce

Bone-in short ribs braised low and slow in a red wine and beef broth sauce with aromatics until fall-off-the-bone tender. Minimal prep, maximum payoff, perfect over mashed potatoes or polenta.

Equipment Needed

• Large skillet
• Slow cooker (6-quart or larger)
• Saucepan

Red Wine Short Ribs

Bone-in short ribs braised low and slow in a red wine and beef broth sauce with aromatics until fall-off-the-bone tender. Minimal prep, maximum payoff, perfect over mashed potatoes or polenta.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Total Time 8 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Servings: 4 Servings

Course: Entrees

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

Main

• 3 to 3 1/2 lbs bone-in beef short ribs (about 6 to 8 pieces)
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion sliced
• 3 carrots cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups dry red wine (or additional beef broth)
• 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional for thickening); optional

Method

 

1. Pat short ribs dry and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown ribs on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to slow cooker.
3. In the same skillet, saute onion and carrots 3 to 4 minutes until slightly softened. Add garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Pour in red wine and scrape up any browned bits. Simmer 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Pour the wine mixture into the slow cooker. Add beef broth, Worcestershire, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Nestle ribs into the liquid so they are mostly submerged.
5. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 5 hours until ribs are very tender.
6. Transfer ribs and vegetables to a platter. Discard bay leaves and herb sprigs. Skim fat from the surface of the cooking liquid.
7. For a thicker sauce, mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir into the cooking liquid. Cook on HIGH 10 to 15 minutes until thickened.
8. Return ribs to the sauce or spoon sauce over top. Serve over mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, or polenta.

How to Know It's Done

• Slow cooker: LOW 8 hours or HIGH 5 hours
• Ribs are done when the meat pulls cleanly from the bone with no resistance.

Cook's Notes

• Searing the ribs before the slow cooker is strongly recommended — the browned crust adds a layer of deep, roasted flavor that the finished sauce will not replicate without it.