These Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs are a great barbecue meal for when it’s too cold outside to grill. Tender braised ribs are cooked to perfection, then coated in a savory beer sauce.
If you love this recipe, you’ll definitely want to try my crock pot Salisbury steak recipe and my slow cooked Italian pot roast.
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Why this Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs Recipe is a Keeper
These easy slow cooker short ribs are the best way to cook bone-in or boneless short ribs. Cooked low and slow with a delicious sauce, this great recipe makes the most of slow-cooked tender beef. Here are a few reasons why you’ll want to try this slow cooker short ribs recipe:
- Easy Ingredients: All of the ingredients for beer braised short ribs can be found in your kitchen or local grocery store.
- Delicious Flavor: Juicy ribs and a rich sauce make this one of our favorite crock pot beef short ribs recipes.
- Crowd-Pleaser: These braised beef short ribs will be a hit at your next potluck or family dinner.
What Part of the Cow do Short Ribs Come From?
Short ribs are cut from the chuck and plate, or front, side of the cow. They have rich, marbled fat, giving them a juicy, tender flavor. Unlike back ribs, short ribs are thicker and meatier.
Crock Pot Short Ribs Ingredient Notes
- Beef Ribs: This recipe for slow cooker braised short ribs with a deep flavor calls for bone-in ribs, but you can also use boneless short ribs to make this crockpot comfort food.
- Guinness: Use Guinness or your favorite beer to make the sauce for these crock pot beef short ribs.
See the recipe card at the end for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Prep Ahead Suggestions for Slow Cooker Short Ribs
- Brown the Ribs: You can brown the ribs a day or two in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to slow cook.
- Chop Vegetables: Chop onions, carrots, and celery in advance and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Special Equipment Needed to Cook Short Ribs
- Crock Pot: Cook beef short ribs in the crock pot or slow cooker for a cook time of 8 hours on low.
Sear the Ribs
Heat a large skillet to medium heat and sear the short ribs. You won’t want to skip the searing step, as browning the beef short ribs before adding them to the slow cooker adds a rich, caramelized flavor. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper.
How to Make Slow Cooker Braised Short Ribs
Short ribs are tender and have a deep, rich flavor. Follow the recipe below to learn how to make these crockpot short ribs in beer sauce.
These are the basic steps for making short ribs in the slow cooker. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
1. Make the Short Rib Braising Liquid
Place onions in the slow cooker, then add the short ribs on top with the bay leaf. Combine beer, brown sugar, mustard, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, thyme, bouillon, salt and pepper, then pour over the meat.
2. Cook the Ribs
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until tender. Remove the meat and onions to a serving dish and keep warm. Discard the bay leaf once the ribs are done.
3. Thicken the Sauce
Skim the fat from cooking juices, then transfer the juices to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then combine flour and water. Gradually stir into the pot, and boil until thickened.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftovers
- Storing: Wrap leftover ribs in foil or store in an airtight container. Refrigerate.
- Reheating: Reheat in the oven or the microwave until warmed through.
- Using Leftovers: These ribs should stay good for up to 3-5 days.
Variations and Substitutions for Short Ribs with Gravy
- Spicy Short Ribs: Add a kick of heat with red pepper flakes, jalapeños, or your favorite hot sauce.
- Asian-Inspired Short Ribs: Use soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and ginger to make Asian-inspired short ribs.
Fall Off the Bone Short Ribs Recipe FAQs
Serve this recipe with corn ribs with garlic butter, slow cooker cocktail sausages. You can also serve the meat and sauce with creamy polenta, mashed cauliflower, or mashed potatoes with homemade brown gravy.
These short ribs can be made in a Dutch oven and baked in the oven. Just brown the short ribs first, then put on the lid and bake. Next, cook at 350 degrees for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Ribs should be fork-tender and falling off the bone. Finally, remove pan from oven and allow to sit for at least 20 minutes prior to serving.
Yes; use whatever beer you have on hand. You can also try making a dry red wine sauce.
Expert Tips for Making this Slow Cooker Recipe
- After cooking, let the meat rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in more tender and flavorful meat.
- Cook the beef short ribs on low heat for a longer period. This allows the meat to become incredibly tender and flavorful.
- Add a splash of beef broth or Worcestershire sauce to the sauce mixture.
- Opt for a beer with a robust flavor profile, such as a stout or porter. These beers can add depth and complexity to the dish.
Crockpot Short Ribs Braised in Beer
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Ingredients
- 3 medium Onions, cut into wedges
- 3- 3 ½ pounds Bone-in beef short ribs
- 1 Bay leaf
- 12 ounces Beer, Bottled
- 2 Tablespoons Brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons Beef bouillon granules
- 1 teaspoons Salt
- ¼ teaspoons Pepper
- 3 Tablespoons All-purpose flour
- ½ cup Cold water
Instructions
- Place onions in a 5 quart slow cooker; add ribs and bay leaf.
- Combine the beer, brown sugar, mustard, tomato paste, thyme, bouillon, salt and pepper.
- Pour over meat.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until meat is tender.
- Remove meat and vegetables to a serving platter; keep warm.
- Discard bay leaf.
- Skim fat from cooking juices; transfer juices to a small saucepan.
- Bring liquid to a boil.
- Combine flour and water until smooth.
- Gradually stir into the pan.
- Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Christina’s Notes
- Allow Meat to Rest: After cooking, let the meat rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in more tender and flavorful meat.
- Low and Slow: Cook the beef short ribs on low heat for a longer period. This allows the meat to become incredibly tender and flavorful.
- Flavor: Add a splash of beef broth or Worcestershire sauce to the sauce mixture.
- Beer: Opt for a beer with a robust flavor profile, such as a stout or porter. These beers can add depth and complexity to the dish.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
I’m confused about whether to put garlic or onion in. If garlic, how much?
Sorry. follow the recipe card. It should be onion. You can add garlic if you like the flavor but the recipe uses onion.
what can i use instead of beef granules? these are made with hydrolosized SOY protein which i do not want to eat ! please advise
You can use an equal amount of Better Than Bouillon.
My fussy eater husband loved it😊. Will definitely make it again.
I love this recipe glad your family enjoyed it!
Just wondering, if I used wine, would I still use 12 oz?
I have never made this with wine. I would use 1 cup to start and adjust from there.
These look amazing! I cannot wait to try them out on my husband this week!
This is one of my family’s favorites! I hope he likes them!
My dad used to make this kind of meal a lot so my husband got a treat every once in a while because I don’t know how to make regular ribs. So sad being a butcher’s daughter isn’t it? This is such a great recipe I think I can do it! I am going to surprise my husband!
We LOVE these short ribs! It was so easy to throw them in the slow cooker! Also, I have never cooked them with beer before so thanks for recommending a lager, I never would have known what to use.
I love the tip that we don’t need to brown first. I am planning on making this for dinner night with aclose friend and I know he’ll love this
My husband LOVED these scrumptious Beer-Braised Short Ribs. And I LOVED how easy this delicious finger-licking-good recipe was to make in the slow cooker. This is one recipe I’ll be making again and again!
Oh my goodness! I love short ribs and I love my slow cooker. I can’t wait to make these this weekend for my family. Everyone is sure to love them.
We tried this recipe for the first time and it’s one that will go into our meals we love to cook and eat. It was so easy in the slow cooker and meant that we were able to get on with stuff whilst it cooked. Bonus was even the fussy eaters loved it.
If I don’t sear them first, do I still need to coat them in flour? Also, any info of beef broth amount as substitute for boullion would be helpful. Thanks!
No you don’t need to coat them, then. If I don’t sear them, I will simply add the juices to a sauce pan right before serving and use a flour slurry to thicken it. To substitute beef broth, just swap out the water and boullion with broth.
Made this. Very good!
Could I put frozen short ribs in the crock pot?
You sure can!
I have made these countless times, but have always wondered, can you cook these on high for a shorter period of time?
I would think so. Check your manual for your slow cooker to see how the times convert.
Hi Chris, I’m a new fan and I’m so impressed with your recipes, a lot of Blue Ribbon winners for sure. Right now I’m going thru your Slow-Cooker recipes (I’m so in-love with my Crock-Pot too). Sure wish you had “Pin-It” button on them, would be a pleasure for me to share them on Pinterest. Sister From the South, LindY G
This was an incredible dish ! I used a bottle of Guiness Stout and added a 1/4 C of dark molasses to the mixture poured over the ribs before cooking !
I’m so happy to hear that you loved it! It’s definitely one of my family’s favorites!
I was not able to print some recipes. Are they not printable?
This sounds so good, I can’t wait to try it. If I could offer a suggestion. I cook with beer quite a bit and the one thing you want to do is use a strongly flavored beer. Stouts and Porters go especially well with beef, you just want to wait to eat those the next day (to combat the bitterness).
Thanks for the suggestion! I usually use lagers — since that’s what we drink. I like the fuller bodied flavor in these recipes too! 🙂
Wow- this is such a timely post for me! I just got myeslf a slow cooker and am totally hooked. Throw a few things in and when it’s time to go home, dinner is ready. Brilliant!Will have to try some of these delicious recipes
These short ribs are fantastic. I add extra vegetables in the crockpot, too. A family favorite, for sure! This is my go to comfort food recipe.
I’m so glad you liked them! If you want to try another similar recipe, give my Drunken Pork Chops a try (http://www.everydaytastes.com/2012/09/26/drunken-pork-chops/). They have the same flavor profile and you can make them in under 30 minutes! 🙂