Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs with Red Wine Sauce
/There’s a certain elegance to slow‑cooked short ribs — the way the ingredients melt into something rich, tender, and deeply comforting. In this version, red wine, aromatics, and a hint of warm spice create a silky sauce while the ribs become irresistibly tender.
And, I’ll share a secret with you; it’s the black cardamom. If it’s not already in your spice rotation, it’s time to change that — it’s responsible for the smoky, warm depth in this dish and has a way of elevating every recipe it touches.
WINE PAIRING
2021 Mcgrail Vineyard James Vincent Cabernet Sauvignon $79.00
“This Livermore Valley Cabernet has full body, well-integrated tannins, and dark fruit notes such as crème de cassis and boysenberry creating an exquisite balance with the short rib’s rich flavor. Its bold structure stands up to the depth of the dish, providing a perfect compliment of tastes, textures and complexity.”
INGREDIENTS
Beef Short Ribs (bone‑in): The star of the dish — rich, marbled, and perfect for slow cooking until they’re fall‑apart tender and deeply savory.
Salt: Essential for drawing out the meat’s natural flavor and balancing the richness of the braise.
Black Cardamom: A bold, smoky spice that adds an unexpected layer of warmth and intrigue to the braise. It absolutely sets this beef short ribs recipe apart from the rest.
Dried Thyme: Offers herbal depth that complements the richness of the meat.
Olive Oil: Helps achieve a golden sear on the ribs, building the first layer of flavor in the pot.
Red Wine: Adds depth, acidity, and a subtle fruitiness that enriches the braising liquid.
Beef Broth: The backbone of the sauce, giving body and savory warmth as it reduces.
Minced Garlic: Adds a mellow, aromatic depth and enhances every savory note.
Yellow Onion: A classic aromatic that melts into the braise, adding sweetness and complexity.
Carrots: Bring gentle sweetness and earthiness, rounding out the flavor profile.
STEP ONE: PREPARE THE CARDAMOM-THYME SEASONING
If you’re unfamiliar with black cardamom, and maybe a bit hesitant to go there, I urge you to give it a try. It’s super complementary to a beef dish especially. I can’t tell you how often I’ve had friends gush over the flavor without really knowing what it was. Note: use black cardamom versus green. Green is more subtle and sweet. Often used for baking.
You can skip this step if you’re using powdered cardamom.
Remove the husks from about 4-5 pods to get 1/2 teaspoon. Put the Cardamom seeds and dried thyme into a mortal and pestle to grind into a somewhat powdered mixture.
STEP TWO: SEAR THE RIBS
Dry the ribs with a paper towel, then generously salt. Heat the olive oil on medium-high to high heat. Once heated, add the ribs and sear on every side for about 30-45 seconds. I lean the ribs against each other or the edge of the pan to sear the ends and keep them from falling over.
STEP THREE: PREPARE THE SAUCE
DEGLAZE: Remove the ribs and set them aside on a plate. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the wine to deglaze the pan. Cook for a couple of minutes and then add to the slow cooker pot.
SEASON: Add the tomato paste and cardamom-thyme seasoning to the hot wine and mix until the tomato paste melts.
STEP FOUR: ADD VEGGIES/BEEF AND COOK
Stir the onion and carrots into the wine mixture. Then lay the ribs over, bone side down. Cover and set on low to cook for 5 - 7 hours. Cooking time could vary depending on the number of ribs or size of your slow cooker. Check around 4 hours in. Continue to cook until they are falling off the bone. Do your best to keep the meat with the bone for serving purposes, unless you intend to debone.
STEP FIVE: DE-FAT THE SAUCE
Beef short-ribs can be very fatty. Removing the fat from the sauce after cooking is essential. The following method is how I prefer to do it as it gets a lot of the fat out.
Once the ribs are done cooking, separate them from the sauce and let them cool. Wrap them up and refrigerate.
Strain the sauce and place the carrots, onions, seasonings mixture in a separate container. Once they cool, put them in the refrigerator.
Let the sauce cool and then put it in a sealable airtight container. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, a solidified layer of fat will have formed at the top. Scrape it off and discard.
Re-warm the sauce, veggies and ribs on low heat in a pan. Let this gently warm while you prepare whatever sides you plan to serve with the ribs.
STEP SIX: PAIR WITH WINE, SERVE WITH MASH, AND FEAST!
Pair with a wine, like 2021 Mcgrail Vineyard James Vincent Cabernet Sauvignon recommended by Michael of Wine Hardware.
My two favorite side options are: 1. serving the ribs bone-in over a mash (potatoes or celeriac), or 2. serving the ribs de-boned, shredded and mixed into the sauce served over pasta.
Slow Cooked Short Ribs with Red Wine Sauce
Ingredients
Instructions
- Remove ribs from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature. Salt generously.
- Heat olive oil on high or medium-high and a skillet that's good for searing (enameled cast iron works great for this, like this from Staub).
- Sear the ribs on every side for about 30-45 seconds each side.
- Set the ribs aside. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the wine to deglaze the pan. Cook for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the hot wine to the slow cooker container. Stir in the tomato paste and cardamom/thyme seasoning, until the paste mixes thoroughly.
- Mix in the beef broth.
- Add the onion and carrots. Then nestle in the ribs.
- Set the slow cooker on low for 5 - 7 hours.
