Crockpot Beef Short Ribs

Perry’s Steakhouse serves some of the best beef short ribs I have ever tasted with soft and juicy meat plus rich spices and a savory sauce served with mashed potatoes and broccoli. Today I will show how I make my Crockpot Beef Short Ribs at home easily with easy to find ingredients. Just to know that my Crockpot Beef Short Ribs turned out so delicious and so juicy almost like a restaurant version.

I really love this dish and I also enjoy the cozy flavor of Apple Butter Pork Chops when I want another comforting meat dinner. So I will leave some tasty serving variations below that you can try with the same slow cooking process. Usually beef short ribs are served for a relaxed weekend dinner and they are so incredible.

I recommend anyone to enjoy them and when you cannot order them at a restaurant you can try out my recipe. Also for my recipe I use a crockpot for cooking and I recommend searing the beef first instead of placing it in completely raw. Simply season your short ribs and brown them before slow cooking until the meat is tender.

Ingredients

Here is what I use for this recipe and you can adjust nuts or spices based on preference:

• Bone in beef short ribs: Provides rich beef flavor and connective tissue that becomes tender during slow cooking.
• Kosher salt: Seasons the beef deeply and helps form a flavorful browned crust.
• Black pepper: Adds gentle heat and balances the rich beef and sauce.
• Garlic powder: Builds a savory base that clings evenly to the surface of the ribs.
• Olive oil: Supports even browning during the searing stage and prevents sticking.
• Yellow onion: Softens beneath the ribs and adds natural sweetness to the cooking liquid.
• Carrots: Add mild sweetness and hold their shape through the long cooking time.
• Garlic: Adds a fresh aromatic layer that blends into the sauce.
• Beef broth: Creates the main braising liquid and keeps the ribs moist as they cook.
• Tomato paste: Adds body plus gentle acidity and a deeper color to the sauce.
• Worcestershire sauce: Strengthens the savory flavor with a subtle tangy depth.
• Dried thyme: Adds an earthy herbal note that complements the beef.
• Bay leaf: Infuses the braising liquid with a mellow background aroma.
• Cornstarch: Thickens the strained cooking liquid into a glossy finishing sauce.
• Cold water: Blends with cornstarch smoothly so the sauce thickens without lumps.
• Fresh parsley: Adds a fresh green finish and light contrast to the rich plated dish.

Tools You’ll Need

• Large cast iron skillet: Creates a deeply browned crust on the four short ribs before slow cooking.
• 6 quart crockpot: Provides steady low heat that tenderizes the beef and softens the vegetables.
• Small mixing bowl: Combines the broth and tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce into an even braising liquid.
• Small saucepan: Reduces and thickens the cooking juices into a glossy finishing sauce.
• Tongs: Turns and transfers the short ribs while helping the browned crust stay intact.
• Cutting board: Provides a stable surface for slicing the onion and cutting the carrots.
• Chef knife: Cuts the vegetables into pieces that cook evenly during the long braise.
• White serving plate: Holds one finished rib with sauce and vegetables for the final portion.

Instructions

Step 1: Season the four short ribs

Pat the four beef short ribs dry and coat every side with salt and black pepper and garlic powder. The pale red meat should become lightly speckled with seasoning while the pieces remain irregular in size. Turn the ribs so different sides face upward and press the seasoning into exposed meat and fat. Keep the four pieces loosely arranged with natural gaps and slight overlap.

Tip: Dry surfaces brown more deeply so blot every rib well before adding the seasoning blend.

Step 2: Brown the ribs on every side

Sear the seasoned ribs until the exposed surfaces turn dark golden brown with irregular caramelized patches. The fat should look slightly rendered while the centers remain visibly uncooked. Flip and rotate all four ribs so browned sides face upward and the pieces shift toward the center. Keep the crust uneven because natural contact points brown at different rates.

Tip: Work without crowding so each rib develops dark browned patches instead of steaming.

Step 3: Layer the vegetables and browned ribs

Spread sliced onion and thick carrot pieces across the bottom of the crockpot and scatter the minced garlic unevenly between them. The vegetables should form a loose base with open spaces still visible. Transfer the four browned ribs over the vegetables and angle the pieces in different directions. Let some onion strands and carrot pieces remain visible around the edges and between the ribs.

Tip: Keep vegetables beneath and around the ribs so they soften in the juices without disappearing completely.

Step 4: Pour the savory braising sauce

Stir beef broth with tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce and thyme until the liquid becomes reddish brown with a few natural streaks. Pour it around and partly over the four ribs so the browned tops remain visible. Tuck the bay leaf near one side and shift the ribs slightly as the sauce settles between them. The onions and carrots should become partly submerged while several pieces remain visible.

Tip: Pour the liquid around the ribs rather than covering the crust so the browned surfaces stay distinct.

Step 5: Slow cook until the beef is tender

Cook until the four ribs darken and soften enough that the meat begins pulling away from the bones. The sauce should turn deep brown while the onions collapse into soft strands and the carrots become tender. The ribs should shift naturally as the meat relaxes and the liquid bubbles around them. Show uneven textures with small splits and darker edges rather than smooth perfect surfaces.

Tip: Stop when the meat yields easily to gentle pressure while still holding together around the bones.

Step 6: Plate one rib with thickened sauce

Place one tender short rib on a white plate and spoon thickened glossy sauce over part of the meat. Add several soft onion strands and two carrot pieces beside the rib while leaving the browned surface visible. Angle the rib so the exposed bone and juicy pulled interior can be seen. Finish with an uneven scatter of parsley and allow a little sauce to pool naturally near one edge.

Tip: Rest the rib briefly before plating so the tender meat stays attached while the interior remains juicy.

Pro Tips

• Choose thick meaty ribs with visible marbling because the fat melts slowly and keeps the beef rich and tender.
• Brown every meaty side until dark patches form because this step gives the finished sauce a deeper savory flavor.
• Keep the liquid below the tops of the ribs so the browned crust stays visible while the lower meat braises.
• Chill leftover cooking juices before reheating so the firm fat can be lifted away for a cleaner sauce.

Storage Instructions

Cool the beef short ribs and sauce before transferring them to airtight containers. Store the meat with enough sauce to keep the surface moist and refrigerate it for up to four days. For easier reheating keep the ribs in a single layer whenever possible. Warm them gently with the sauce until the center is hot and the liquid loosens around the meat.

Freeze the cooled ribs and sauce for up to three months in a freezer safe container. Leave a little open space at the top because the sauce expands as it freezes. Thaw frozen ribs overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Remove any firm fat from the surface and add a splash of beef broth when the sauce needs thinning.

Frequently Asked Questions

See You in the Kitchen

I hope you try these Crockpot Beef Short Ribs soon!

It is a simple recipe that looks beautiful and tastes incredible and makes a weeknight dinner or holiday meal a little more special alongside Maple Sweet Potato Mash.

Do not forget to share your results or save this recipe for later because it is one worth keeping and you can also try Cranberry Meatballs for another cozy party favorite.

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