Slow Cooker Beef Ribs and Short Ribs

Which ribs are best for a slow cooker?

“Beef ribs” covers several cuts, and they behave a bit differently.

• Bone-in short ribs: Thick, meaty pieces with a lot of marbling. They are the most common choice for slow cooking because the fat and connective tissue melt into a rich sauce.
• English-cut short ribs: Short ribs cut into individual blocks with one bone each, usually the easiest to fit in a cooker.
• Flanken-cut (cross-cut) short ribs: Thin strips cut across the bones, often used for Korean-style dishes. They cook faster and can overcook if treated like thick short ribs.
• Beef back ribs: Less meat per bone and leaner between the bones. They can work in the slow cooker but are often less meaty than short ribs.

For the recipe below, choose bone-in English-cut short ribs.

Slow cooker short ribs recipe (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 to 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 to 3 cups beef broth (up to 1 cup can be replaced with red wine)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon each onion powder and garlic powder
• 1 sprig rosemary or a few sprigs of thyme

Directions

1. Season. Pat the ribs dry and season all over with salt and pepper.
2. Sear (recommended). Brown the ribs in hot oil for a few minutes per side. Many recipes call this optional, but it adds color and flavor.
3. Layer. Put onion and garlic in the slow cooker, then the ribs, bone side down. Whisk the broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire and powders, and pour around the ribs. Tuck in the herbs. The ribs should be partly, not fully, submerged.
4. Cook. Cover and cook on low for roughly 6 to 8 hours, or on high for roughly 4 to 5 hours, until the meat is tender and pulling from the bone. Thick, meaty ribs may need the longer end.
5. Skim and reduce. Lift the ribs out. Skim the fat from the liquid, then simmer the liquid in a pan, or thicken it with a cornstarch slurry, to make a sauce.
6. Serve over mashed potatoes, polenta or rice.

Korean-style short ribs

For a Korean-inspired flavor, use flanken-cut or English-cut ribs and a sauce of soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, grated ginger, sesame oil and a little grated pear or apple. Many cooks also add rice vinegar and a pinch of black pepper. Cook on low, check for tenderness, and finish with sliced scallions and sesame seeds. Flanken-cut ribs are thinner, so begin checking them well before the time listed above.

How long to cook beef ribs at low temperature

Slow cookers do not list exact temperatures, but the low setting typically falls in a similar range to a very low oven. Many oven recipes braise short ribs at around 225 to 300 degrees F for several hours. As a rule of thumb, the ribs are done when the meat yields easily to a fork, not when a certain time has passed. Large ribs often need longer than small ones.

Can you overcook short ribs?

Yes. Past the point of tender, the meat can become stringy, dry or mushy, and thin pieces are more at risk. Because short ribs are well marbled, they are more forgiving than lean cuts, but it is still wise to begin checking toward the early end of the range.

Tips

• Skim the fat. Short ribs render a lot. Chill the liquid and lift off the solid fat, or use a fat separator.
• Choose meaty ribs. Look for pieces with thick meat on top of the bone.
• Use a layer of vegetables. Onions or root vegetables keep ribs from sitting directly on the bottom.
• Make ahead. Braised ribs reheat well the next day in their sauce.

Related recipes

If you like this style of cooking, try our slow cooker oxtail recipes or a chuck-based slow cooker beef stew. For help choosing cuts across the board, see which steaks work in a slow cooker.