Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs (Fall Apart Tender)

Name: Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 375 min
Ingredients: 2–2.5 pounds boneless beef short ribs (or country-style ribs); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 small onion (finely chopped); 2 bay leaves; salt and black pepper; 1 cup tomato-based chili sauce (like Heinz Chili Sauce or homemade); 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; ¼ teaspoon chili flakes (or cayenne, optional); 1 teaspoon cornstarch; ¼ cup cold water

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Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs are tender strips of marbled beef that cook low and slow in a tangy-sweet sauce until they fall apart at the touch of a fork.

Chili sauce and liquid smoke give it that smoky barbecue flavor, apple cider vinegar adds tang, and brown sugar brings the sweetness.

Top-down view of a black slow cooker with tender Bonless Beef Short Ribs.

Table of Contents

This recipe has become my answer to those days when I want something special without standing over the stove. The slow cooker does all the work while the house fills with the kind of smell that makes everyone ask when dinner will be ready. It’s restaurant-quality comfort food that requires about 15 minutes of actual hands-on time.

Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs Recipe Highlights

Uses an affordable cut of beef that becomes incredibly tender
Sauce thickens perfectly without any complicated steps
Tastes like you spent hours braising in the oven
Leftovers get better the next day
No searing required before cooking

Ingredient Notes

Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.

Ingredients needed to make Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs.

BEEF SHORT RIBS – Boneless beef short ribs are actually strips of meat cut from between the ribs, sometimes labeled as “beef rib finger meat” at the butcher counter. This cut has beautiful marbling throughout, which means tiny threads of fat that melt during cooking and keep everything moist. The long cooking time breaks down all the tough bits and turns them into that fall-apart texture everyone loves. Look for pieces that are at least one inch thick so they don’t dry out. If you can’t find boneless short ribs, boneless country-style beef ribs work the same way and often cost less per pound.

CHILI SAUCE – This is the tomato-based condiment that comes in a bottle, like Heinz Chili Sauce, not the spicy hot sauce you’d put on tacos. It’s similar to ketchup but has more vinegar tang and a slightly thinner consistency. The acidity helps break down the tough muscle fibers in the beef while the tomato base creates body in the sauce. If you can’t find it, mix ketchup with a splash of vinegar and a pinch of onion powder, but the real thing has a more complex flavor that’s worth hunting down.

LIQUID SMOKE – Just a quarter teaspoon gives the ribs that outdoor barbecue taste without firing up a grill. It’s incredibly potent, so you only need a few drops to get that deep smoky flavor all the way through the sauce. Wright’s is the most common brand and comes in hickory or mesquite. Use hickory for a sweeter smoke flavor or mesquite for something more intense. This ingredient is what makes people think these ribs took way more effort than they actually did.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR – The acidity cuts through the richness of the beef and balances the sweetness from the brown sugar. It also helps tenderize the meat, which is why braised dishes always include some kind of acid. Apple cider vinegar has a gentler, slightly fruity taste compared to white vinegar, so it adds tang without making the sauce taste harsh. Use regular apple cider vinegar from the baking aisle, not the fancy unfiltered kind.

BROWN SUGAR – Two tablespoons balances the acidity from the vinegar and chili sauce so the final taste is tangy-sweet instead of just tangy. It also helps the sauce thicken slightly as it cooks. Light or dark brown sugar both work fine. Dark brown sugar has more molasses flavor, which adds a deeper caramel taste that pairs well with the smoke. If your brown sugar is rock hard, microwave it for 10 seconds with a damp paper towel on top.

BAY LEAVES – These add a subtle woodsy background flavor that makes the sauce taste more complex. Bay leaves release their oils slowly during long cooking, which is perfect for slow cooker recipes. Always remove them before serving because they stay tough even after hours of cooking. If you don’t have bay leaves, the recipe still works fine, but the sauce will taste a bit flatter.

CORNSTARCH SLURRY – Mixing cornstarch with cold water before adding it to the sauce prevents lumps and gives you control over how thick the final sauce becomes. You need to cook it on high for 5 minutes after stirring it in so it thickens properly. Never add cornstarch directly to hot liquid or it’ll clump up into gummy balls that won’t dissolve. The slurry method ensures a smooth, glossy sauce every single time.

How To Make Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs

Please check the printable recipe card below for more detailed instructions.

Sauce ingredients for beef ribs in a bowl.

Sauce poured over beef ribs in a slow cooker.

Layer onion, garlic, and bay leaves in the slow cooker. Place beef on top and season with salt and pepper.
Whisk chili sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire, liquid smoke, brown sugar, paprika, and chili flakes. Pour over beef and add water.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.
Remove ribs. Skim fat from sauce.
Stir a cornstarch slurry into sauce, and cook on HIGH for 5 minutes.
Return ribs to slow cooker and coat with thickened sauce.

Closeup of melt-in-your -mouth Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs.

Leftovers and Storage

STORE – Keep your Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The sauce will thicken as it cools because the gelatin from the beef sets up when cold. Pour the sauce over the meat before storing so the ribs stay moist and don’t dry out.

FREEZE – These ribs freeze beautifully for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Let everything cool completely before freezing, then portion the meat and sauce together. Lay bags flat in the freezer so they stack easily and thaw faster. The texture stays just as tender after freezing because the meat is already fully cooked and saturated with sauce.

REHEAT – Thaw frozen ribs overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in a covered pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. You can also microwave individual portions in 1 minute intervals, stirring between each round. Add a splash of water if the sauce seems too thick. The ribs taste even better reheated because the flavors have had more time to blend together.

MAKE AHEAD – Cook the Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs up to 2 days before you need them. The flavor actually improves after sitting in the sauce overnight. Store in the refrigerator, then reheat gently on the stovetop before serving. This is perfect for entertaining because you can prep ahead and just warm everything up when guests arrive.

More Slow Cooker Beef Recipes

Serving Suggestions

CREAMY MASHED POTATOES – Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs goes really well with my creamy mashed potatoes is perfect for soaking up every drop of that tangy-sweet sauce. Make them extra creamy with butter and warm milk so they complement the rich beef without competing for attention.

CHEESY GRITS – Southern-style grits with sharp cheddar create a creamy base that turns this into a full comfort food meal. The mild corn flavor lets the smoky beef shine while the cheese adds its own richness.

BUTTERED CORNBREAD – A warm wedge of cornbread is ideal for mopping up sauce, and the slightly sweet corn flavor pairs beautifully with the barbecue-style ribs. Serve it with honey butter on the side for an extra treat.

ROASTED VEGETABLES – Simple roasted carrots, Brussels sprouts, or green beans add color and a bit of freshness to balance the richness of the beef. Toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then roast at 425° Fahrenheit while the ribs finish cooking.

CREAMY COLESLAW – A tangy, creamy coleslaw cuts through the richness of the beef and adds crunch. Make it with a vinegar-based dressing instead of mayo if you want something lighter that won’t feel too heavy alongside the sauce.

Adding three perfectly cooked Crockpot Boneless Beef Ribs over mashed potatoes.

Recipe Success Tips

TRIM EXCESS FAT – Before cooking, trim any thick pieces of fat from the outside of the ribs. Some marbling inside the meat is good because it melts and adds flavor, but big chunks of external fat just make the sauce greasy. You’ll still get plenty of richness from the natural marbling in this cut.

SKIM THE FAT – After cooking, any fat will float to the top of the sauce where you can easily remove it with a spoon. Tilt the slow cooker slightly and spoon off the visible fat before thickening the sauce. This step makes a huge difference in the final texture and keeps the sauce from feeling oily.

DON’T SKIP THE CORNSTARCH STEP – The sauce will be thin and watery straight from the slow cooker. Thickening it with the cornstarch slurry transforms it into something that coats the beef and clings to your sides instead of pooling on the plate. Always mix cornstarch with cold water first to prevent lumps.

EXPERT TIP – If you have time, refrigerate the cooked Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs in their sauce overnight. The next day, the fat will solidify on top and you can lift it off in one piece. Reheat everything together and the sauce will be perfectly silky with no greasiness at all.

ADJUST THE HEAT LEVEL – This recipe is mild by default, but you can easily add more kick with extra chili flakes, a dash of cayenne, or a few shakes of hot sauce stirred into the finished sauce. Taste and adjust at the end so you can control exactly how spicy it gets.

Tender Boneless Beef Short Ribs served with green beans on a white plate.

Commonly Asked Questions

Can I use bone-in short ribs instead of boneless?

Yes, bone-in short ribs work great and actually add even more flavor to the sauce. You’ll need about 3 to 4 pounds to account for the bone weight. They’ll take the same amount of time to cook and the bones will pull away cleanly when the meat is done.

What if I don’t have chili sauce?

Mix 1 cup of ketchup with 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and a pinch of onion powder. It won’t have the exact same complexity, but it’ll work in a pinch. You could also use barbecue sauce, but reduce the brown sugar to 1 tablespoon since most barbecue sauces are already quite sweet.

Can I make this in the Instant Pot?

Yes! If you don’t wantpressure cook on high for 45 minutes with a natural release. The ribs will be just as tender but won’t have quite as much depth of flavor since they cook faster. You can still thicken the sauce the same way using the sauté function after removing the ribs.

Why is my sauce watery?

The cornstarch slurry step is essential for thickening. If you skipped it or didn’t cook the sauce long enough after adding the slurry, it’ll stay thin. You can fix watery sauce by mixing another teaspoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water, stirring it in, and cooking on high for 5 more minutes.

Can I cook the Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs on high if I’m short on time?

Yes, cook on high for 4 to 5 hours instead of low for 6 to 8 hours. The texture will be slightly less fall-apart tender compared to the low and slow method, but they’ll still be delicious and fully cooked through.

Even More Beef Crock Pot Recipes

Slow Cooker Taco Meat

Slow Cooker Beef Teriyaki

Crockpot Beef Stew

Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup

Crock Pot Lasagna

Maike Corbett

Maike Corbett is the founder and food blogger of Cheerful Cook, a popular recipe website featuring comfort food recipes from the US and Germany. She has been featured in numerous media outlets, including the AP Wire and MSN.