Ingredients:

  • lbs Bone-in Beef Short Ribs, trimmed
  • /4 cup All-Purpose Flour
  • tsp Kosher Salt
  • /2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • Tbsp Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil
  • large Yellow Onion, roughly chopped
  • medium Carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
  • Celery Stalks, roughly chopped
  • cloves Garlic, minced
  • cup Dry Red Wine (e.g., Merlot or Cabernet)
  • cups Low Sodium Beef Broth
  • Tbsp Tomato Paste
  • Fresh Thyme Sprigs
  • Bay Leaves
  • Tbsp Cornstarch (for gravy finish)
  • Tbsp Cold Water (for slurry)

Instructions:

  1. Pat the short ribs thoroughly dry with paper towels.
  2. In a shallow dish, mix flour, salt, and pepper. Lightly coat each rib in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess.
  3. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the ribs in batches until deeply browned on all sides (about 2–3 minutes per side). Remove the seared ribs and set aside.
  4. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté until softened, about 5–7 minutes, scraping up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  5. Pour in the red wine, scraping the bottom vigorously to lift any remaining flavourful bits. Let the wine bubble and reduce by half (about 3–4 minutes).
  6. Transfer the sautéed vegetables and wine reduction into the slow cooker insert. Nestle the seared short ribs on top. Add the beef broth, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves.
  7. Cover the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 8–10 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the meat is fork-tender.
  8. Carefully remove the cooked ribs from the slow cooker and set them on a platter, covering loosely with foil.
  9. Discard the thyme stems and bay leaves from the cooking liquid. Skim any excess fat from the surface of the liquid.
  10. If desired, pour the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan. Bring the strained liquid to a gentle simmer. Create a slurry by whisking the cornstarch and cold water together, then whisk into the simmering sauce until thickened.
  11. Taste the gravy and adjust seasoning if necessary. Ladle the rich gravy generously over the tender Crockpot Beef Short Ribs before serving.