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    Home » Recipes » Beef Recipes

    The Best Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Ribs

    Published: Apr 1, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley

    1.2K shares
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    • Yummly
    4.68 from 52 votes
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    Pinterest image for beef short ribs

    Guinness Beef Ribs (aka beef short ribs) are one of the easiest dishes to make in your slow cooker.

    No slow cooker? No problem you can make these delicious fall off the bone short ribs in a crock pot, dutch oven on the stove or in your oven in a covered roasting pan.

    fork taking piece of fall apart meat from short rib on a bed of mashed potatoes

    These fall off the bone short ribs can be served whole or you can slide the bone out of the meat to make boneless short ribs. The best part is all you need is a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce, a can or bottle of Guinness (or your favorite beer) and a few basic pantry ingredients to make these

    I like making a double batch and using the leftover short ribs to make tacos, sandwiches or my personal favorite, short rib mac and cheese!

    If you’re looking another delicious slow-cooker beef recipe my friend Maggie has the best Birria de Res (Mexican Beef stew)Recipe.

    What Ingredients do I need to make Guinness Beef Ribs?

    Ingredients to make beef short ribs

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my Short Rib Recipe. 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 Guinness Beef Ribs?

    four images showing how to cook guinness beef ribs in a slow cooker
    • Add the chopped onion and garlic with olive oil in your slow cooker on the saute setting, allow to cook for a few minutes.
    • Add the ribs to the slow cooker on top of onions and season them with sea salt and black pepper.
    • Add in all of the remaining ingredients, turning your slow cooker to low.
    • Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

    Do I have to use barbecue sauce?

    If you’d rather not use barbecue sauce, you can substiture a 6 ounce can of tomato paste and a teaspoon of worcestershire sauce instead, along with the beer, beef broth and seasonings.

    sauce from guinness ribsin pot
    • When the ribs are done, remove them from the slow cooker pouring the sauce from the slow cooker into a saucepan.
    • Skim off the excess grease from the liquid and reduce the liquid in the saucepan over medium-high heat until the sauce has thickened slightly (feel free to add more barbecue sauce at this point).
    beef ribs on a white plate with sauce in a ramekin

    Do I have to use Beer to make Beef Ribs:

    No, you don’t. If you don’t have any beer on hand or prefer a non alcoholic version you can use root beer, Dr. Pepper or your favorite cola instead of beer.

    It won’t be exactly the same but you shouldn’t notice much of a difference in the flavor. The short ribs may have a touch of sweetness from the soda but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

    Guinness beef ribs on a bed of mashed potatoes on a white plate

    Just follow my simple instructions and prepare yourself for moans and groans from the table as your friends and family devour these ribs.

    Can I cook Beef Ribs in an Instant Pot?

    Yes, you can also make these ribs in an instant pot. Follow the recipe up to including all the ingredients. Close the instant pot, choose the manual high pressure function and set it to high. Cook the short ribs for 45 minutes, followed by a 10 – 15 minute natural release. Reduce the sauce on stove top or in your instant pot.

    This recipe will also work with pork ribs.

    Recipe FAQ’s:

    What should I serve with Beef Ribs?

    I love sauteed or steamed greens with my ribs and my favorite starches are mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese. And of course, barbecue staples such as potato salad, macaroni salad, cole slaw or corn on the cob are always good choices.

    What is the difference between beef ribs and short ribs.

    Beef back ribs are the long, curved beef ribs that sometimes have a long bone exposed. They are sold as individual pieces or a rack of 7 bones.

    All short ribs are from a rib section that contains three to four ribs. Depending on where the ribs are cut from, they can be three to five inches thick, and will contain meat interspersed with a lot of muscle, fat, and tendon. This gives them a lot of strong beefy flavor and cooked properly, will be a very tender and juicy cut of meat.

    Can I overcook ribs in a slow cooker?

    You sure can. That’s why its a good idea to check on them an hour before they should be ready. Everyones slow cooker is a little different and times can vary depending upon the heat settings.

    More Rib Recipes You’ll Love!

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      Slow Cooker Braised Short Ribs with a Red Wine-Coffee Sauce
    • Barbecued short ribs in a white casserole
      Easy Baked BBQ Short Ribs
    • close up of slow cooker bbq ribs on white plate
      Easy Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs
    • overhead view of barbecued half racks of baby back ribs on a white platter
      Easy Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs

    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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    Guinness beef ribs on a bed of mashed potatoes on a white plate
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    4.68 from 52 votes

    Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Ribs

    I love my slow cooker and I love beef ribs.  So when I decided to cook up a bunch of these "fall off the bone ribs" with Guinness my favorite Irish beer I knew I'd have a winner!   And don't worry if you can't have alcohol, just replace the beer with Root Beer or Dr. Pepper.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time8 hrs
    Total Time8 hrs 10 mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 983kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    Ingredients

    • ½ onion coarsely chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic diced
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • 5-6 pounds beef ribs
    • 12 ounces Guinness beer or your favorite beer, root beer, dr. pepper, or cola
    • ½ cup red wine vinegar
    • 1 cup beef stock
    • 1½ cup barbecue sauce
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Add chopped onion and garlic with olive oil in your slow cooker on the saute setting, allow to cook for a few minutes.
    • Add ribs on top of onions and season them with sea salt and black pepper.
    • Add in all of the remaining ingredients, turning your slow cooker to low.
    • Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
    • When ribs are done, remove them from the slow cooker pouring sauce from the slow cooker into a saucepan.
    • Pour off excess grease from liquid and reduce liquid in the saucepan over high heat until the sauce has thickened slightly.
    • Serve sauce over ribs and enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 983kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 81g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 244mg | Sodium: 3240mg | Potassium: 1879mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 242IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 10mg
    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. Maggie

      October 21, 2022 at 4:58 pm

      5 stars
      The meat was so delicious, soft and tender. My entire family loved it! We even had seconds and had no leftovers. lol.

      Reply
    2. KayKay

      May 22, 2022 at 8:32 am

      5 stars
      This dish was delicious and so easy. I didn’t change a thing. I thought 5-6 lbs of meat was a lot to serve 4 people, but it really cooked down. The meat fell off the bone and was super tender. There was a lot of grease, so be sure so skim it off before reducing the liquid. I used a spicy bbq sauce so it had a really nice kick. Served it with corn on the cob and tabbouleh. It’s a winner dinner! Thanks, Chef!

      Reply
    3. Dianne Lundquist

      March 14, 2021 at 11:30 am

      I didn’t make this yet,but I was thinking of cornbeef with cabbage and potatoes. Any suggestions on that meal?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        March 14, 2021 at 12:26 pm

        That’s not something I have made yet Dianne. But my friend Katerina at Diethood has a great recipe that friends have made -> https://diethood.com/corned-beef-cabbage-recipe/

        Reply
    4. Shona

      October 27, 2020 at 7:47 pm

      5 stars
      Amazing!!

      Reply
    5. stella venturelli

      July 04, 2020 at 1:28 pm

      Hello Chef,

      How long do I cook this in a pressure cooker?

      Thanks,
      Stella

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        July 04, 2020 at 7:23 pm

        I’m not sure Stella, I’ve never used a pressure cooker

        Reply
    6. Bongiwe shongwe

      June 15, 2020 at 2:42 am

      5 stars
      The style of cooking and blending with the ingridients is just amazing .Thanks chef! I really loved the chicken and shrimp and making it wasnt so hard at all.

      Reply
    7. bonnie

      May 08, 2020 at 7:46 pm

      5 stars
      After making your coq au vin, I had to make something else of yours! Thanks! These ribs are a BIG hit! I love how perfect your flavoring is for these recipes! Now Im making your 4 bean beer chili tonight.

      Reply
    8. Jon-Eric Miller

      November 15, 2019 at 10:04 pm

      5 stars
      First time making ribs, and they came out great! I did use White instead of Red Wine Vinegar, and replaced the Guinness with a Maple-Bourbon Hard Cider. Also a rack of pork instead of beef ribs.

      Ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender, and very flavourful even without the sauce! I popped them in the broiler for about 7 minutes to get a nice browning on the outside.

      I’ll definitely be making these again.

      Reply
      • Lynne

        August 24, 2021 at 9:48 am

        Can’t wait to try this recipe. Do you use beef short ribs in this recipe>

        Reply
        • Chef Dennis Littley

          August 24, 2021 at 11:33 am

          I did not but you could certainly use short ribs

    9. Suzanne Snell

      February 09, 2019 at 11:30 am

      Please add me to your email recipe list

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        February 10, 2019 at 7:41 am

        you have to sign up via the website Suzanne. There is a double opt-in I’m required to use.

        Reply
    10. Lucinda

      September 16, 2018 at 7:34 pm

      5 stars
      I tried thus recipe today and it turned out delicious. I bit greasy, but once you sort out the grease it’s ok.
      I used non alcohol dark beer, and bull’s eye guinness bbq sauce and red wine.
      I totally recommend this recipe. Next time I will try it with pork ribs.

      Reply
    11. Sierra

      September 08, 2018 at 6:31 pm

      Hi Chef,
      What can I use as a substitute of red wine vinegar? Red wine? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        September 08, 2018 at 7:26 pm

        you could use cider vinegar or just red wine.

        Reply
    12. Tammy

      July 30, 2018 at 5:31 pm

      Have them in the crockpot now. Smells really good. I cut the racks in thirds hope that is ok?

      Reply
    13. Hanyela Luis

      June 27, 2018 at 3:29 pm

      If my kids eat them would the beer n wine affect them?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        June 28, 2018 at 1:30 am

        all of the alcohol will cook off so it won’t affect them. If you’re unsure you can always use root beer, dr. pepper or coke.

        Reply
    14. Steve Cameron

      May 20, 2018 at 12:52 pm

      I’m trying this recipe today, looks delicious. When should I cut the rack into individual ribs? I wasn’t sure whether to cut them up before or after slow cooking.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        May 21, 2018 at 10:26 pm

        Hi Steve

        For these ribs you can do it either way. I did cut them up for this recipe.

        Reply
      • Shona Chestnut

        January 16, 2021 at 11:32 pm

        5 stars
        I made this , omg, delicious!

        Reply
    15. Kelli

      April 16, 2018 at 9:53 am

      Can I substitute beer if I don’t have Guiness on hand or would it be better to use the soda?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        April 16, 2018 at 10:33 am

        you can use any beer that you like Kelli.

        Reply
    16. Alli

      March 02, 2018 at 11:06 am

      5 stars
      Can I do without onions

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        March 02, 2018 at 7:16 pm

        Absolutely, feel free to adjust the veggies and seasonings to your taste preferences

        Reply
    17. Connie Sibrava

      November 04, 2017 at 10:39 am

      What cut of short ribs did you use. I
      Have a bunch of flanken cit ribs. Will this work!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        November 09, 2017 at 8:02 am

        hi Connie-
        they will work they may just not be the prettiest because of the cut. But I’m sure they’ll still be delicious!

        Reply
    18. Poida

      May 27, 2017 at 3:58 pm

      5 stars
      I’m confused with steps 6+7, when do you add BBQ sauce, is it combined with liquid from slow cooker?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        May 28, 2017 at 12:06 pm

        the bbq sauce goes in step 3

        Reply
        • Tibi

          August 23, 2017 at 10:26 am

          5 stars
          Can we use pork ribs instead?

        • Chef Dennis Littley

          August 23, 2017 at 12:47 pm

          You sure can!

    19. Larry

      May 05, 2016 at 12:39 pm

      Looks delicious Chef and a good use for beef ribs. I’ve tried smoking them a few times but the ones I can get at the store have so little meat on them that little is left after the fat is rendered.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        May 05, 2016 at 5:32 pm

        They were a little fatty but turned out really well in the slow cooker Larry!

        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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