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    Home » Recipes » Beef Recipes

    Red Wine Braised Short Ribs {Slow Cooker}

    Published: May 5, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley. This post includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    5 from 33 votes
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    Pinterest image for braised short ribs

    My easy to make Slow Cooker Red Wine Braised Short Rib Recipe makes beef short ribs that are melt-in-your-mouth tender. 

    And the best part is it only takes a few minutes of prep and simple ingredients that will make any night a special occasion!

    spoon with sauce being poured on short ribs on a white platter

    Beef Shortribs are the ultimate comfort food. The fall of the bone texture comes from hours of braising in your slow cooker (or dutch oven). And my red wine/coffee sauce makes these ribs tender and juicy ribs even more delicious!

    fork pulling meat off a short rib on a white plate

    Slow cooking (braising) beef ribs is an easy way to get a tougher cut of meat, fall off the bone tender. It’s also an easy way to add additional flavors to the dish. My
    Guinness Short Ribs is another delicious recipe to try.

    Table of Contents:
    • What ingredients do I need to make Braised Beef Short Ribs?
    • How do I make Braised Short Ribs of Beef?
    • How do I make a Red Wine Coffee Sauce?
    • Recipe FAQ’s
    • MoreSlow Cooker Recipes You’ll Love!
    • Recipe: Red Wine Braised Short Ribs (Slow Cooker)

    What ingredients do I need to make Braised Beef Short Ribs?

    ingredients used to make beef short ribs in a slow cooker

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my Beef Short Ribs with red wine coffee sauce. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.

    Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

    There are a lot of great slow cookers on the market but I love my Ninja 9-1, it does everything!

    How do I make Braised Short Ribs of Beef?

    6 images showing how to make braised short ribs of beef
    • Place the short ribs in a large bowl and toss with flour seasoned with salt and black pepper.
    • Place the olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat.
    • Once hot, place the short ribs in the pot and sear until browned on each side.
    • Transfer the browned short-ribs to the slow cooker.
    • Add the carrots, onions, celery and garlic to the slow cooker.
    • Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hour

    This can also be done on stove top with a dutch oven or heavy pot with a lid. Cook time would be 3-3.5 hours on simmer.

    How do I make a Red Wine Coffee Sauce?

    four images showing how to make gravy
    • Drain the the liquid from the slow cooker and place into a saucepan. Turn off the slow cooker and leave the ribs covered until your sauce is complete.
    • Add one tablespoon of flour into the sauce and mix well with a wire whip. When liquid begins to boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer. Your reduction should begin to thicken and when its thick enough its done.
    • Add in the sour cream and mix well.
    • Skim any extra fat off the top of the sauce and remove from the heat.
    braised short ribs with gravy on a white platter

    The unique blend of red wine and coffee added a rich and robust flavor to my ribs. And depending upon the heartiness of the red wine you use, could be even more flavorful. My seasonings were pretty basic and my mirepoix, a standard blend of celery, carrots and onions with a few garlic cloves thrown in for good measure.

    The smoked paprika and chili powder added another level of flavors that combine perfectly with other ingredients. But if those aren’t you’re favorite seasonings, you can leave them out.

    My simple reduction of the juices in the slow cooker made for a delightful sauce and a change from the typical tomato-based barbecue. But feel free to take these delicious ribs in any direction you choose. It’s all about what you enjoy eating.

    Recipe FAQ’s

    What are short ribs of beef?

    Beef chuck short ribs are flavorful and one of the tastiest cuts of beef and are made for slow cooking. They come from the front section of the backbone and are beautifully marbled which makes these ribs fall off the bone tender.

    What are the different cuts of short ribs?

    There are two cuts of beef short ribs. flanken and English-style.
    Flanken translates to “flank” in German, and it refers to ribs that are located along the back towards the belly of the cow. These are cut across the bones into short ½ inch lengths. Sometimes, a few cross-sections of ribs are left in a strip.
    The English-style of short rib is cut between each rib which separates them. This leaves a thick piece of meat sitting on top of the bone. English ribs can be left in one long piece or cut into smaller, 2-inch pieces. These are the preferred style of short ribs.
    You can sometimes find boneless short ribs, but remember the bone adds flavor.

    Do you have to pan sear short ribs before slow cooking?

    Some recipes will tell you it’s not necessary, but searing the short ribs (or any meat) before slow cooking truly adds to the flavor and finished dish. It only takes a few minutes and is well worth the effort.
    When you sear the short ribs, the outside of the meat caramelizes slightly and that adds flavor to the meat. That flavor releases as the beef cooks and makes for a very flavorful dish.

    MoreSlow Cooker Recipes You’ll Love!

    • Guinness beef ribs on a bed of mashed potatoes on a white plate
      Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Ribs
    • sliced barbecue beef brisket on white platter
      Slow Cooker Beef Brisket with Barbecue Sauce
    • white pot with bbq pulled pork
      Slow Cooker Texas Pulled Pork
    • close up of slow cooker bbq ribs on white plate
      Easy Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs

    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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    braised short ribs of beef on a white platter with sauce
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    5 from 33 votes

    Red Wine Braised Short Ribs (Slow Cooker)

    Making red wine braised short ribs in your slow cooker, couldn't be easier. It's a simple way to create tender melt in your mouth beef short ribs that will make any night a special occasion.
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time6 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
    Total Time6 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 622kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    Equipment

    • slow cooker

    Ingredients

    • 3 pounds bone-in short ribs
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • ½ cup flour seasoned with sea salt and black pepper
    • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
    • 3 stalks celery chopped
    • 2 carrots chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 1 cup dry red wine
    • 1 cup black coffee
    • 1 cup beef broth
    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
    • 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon granulated onion
    • ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
    • 1 tablespoon sour cream or heavy cream
    • sea salt and black pepper to taste
    US Customary – Metric
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    Instructions

    • Place the short ribs in a large bowl and toss with the seasoned flour.
    • Place the olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat.
    • Once hot, place the short ribs in the pot and sear until browned on each side.
    • Transfer the browned short-ribs to the slow cooker.
    • Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours.
    • Drain the liquid from the slow cooker and place into a saucepan. Turn off the slow cooker and leave the ribs covered until your sauce is complete.
    • Add one tablespoon of flour into the sauce and mix well with a wire whip. When liquid begins to boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer. Your reduction should begin to thicken and when its thick enough its done.
    • Add in the sour cream and mix well.
    • Skim any extra fat off the top of the sauce and remove from the heat.
    • Re-season with sea salt and black pepper or any other seasoning you wish to add and serve with your ribs.

    Notes

    This recipe can also be done on stove top with a dutch oven or heavy pot with a lid. Cook time would be 3-3.5 hours on simmer.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 622kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 498mg | Potassium: 1286mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5661IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 7mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

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    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

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    1. Kathy

      December 27, 2022 at 9:59 am

      I was wondering 2 things:
      Do you drain off any of the rendered fat/grease before making the sauce?
      Is there any benefit to sautéing the veg before adding to slow cooker or is it the same if you but them in raw?

      Thanks for the guidance!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        December 27, 2022 at 10:56 am

        yes definitely drain off most of the grease from the sauce. Yes you can give the veggies a quick saute before cooking, it always improves the flavor but not everyone wants to cook when they use a slow cooker.

        Reply
    2. Meredith Lee

      July 11, 2016 at 1:15 pm

      5 stars
      I’d be curious to know how a cold brew coffee would do in the recipe. It’s has less acidity and more sweetness. Would the flavor of regular brewed coffee be a better complement to the wine?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        July 11, 2016 at 2:27 pm

        Any coffee will work Meredith, cold brew sounds like a great way to lessen the acidity. And while I’m not a wine expert, I don’t think it will make that much difference to the sauce.

        Reply
    3. Jean | DelightfulRepast.com

      June 23, 2016 at 2:26 pm

      Chef Dennis, love the sound of this! AND I love using the slow cooker on hot summer days!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        June 23, 2016 at 2:42 pm

        Thanks Jean, a slow cooker is a life saver especially during the hot summer months!

        Reply
    4. Dawn D.

      June 18, 2016 at 9:16 pm

      Who knew that the leftover coffee in the morning could serve as a valuable ingredient for dinner? This sounds delicious! Sometimes you do need a good slow-cooker recipe handy for ribs- grilling is great, but if it decides to rain all weekend, sometimes you’ve got to get a little creative. This recipe would certainly impress anyone! Can’t wait to try it!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        June 19, 2016 at 12:17 pm

        It is a different type of rib recipe Dawn, but its nice to change things up from the typical barbecue flavors. Thanks for stopping by!

        Reply

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    My name is Dennis Littley or “Chef Dennis” as I’m known both at work and across the blogosphere. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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