Braised Short Ribs | Basics with Babish
Braised short ribs are a quintessential slow-cooked dish that transforms tough cuts of beef into melt-in-your-mouth perfection. This recipe involves searing the ribs to develop flavour, then braising them low and slow in a aromatic broth until the meat is tender enough to fall from the bone. The result is a rich, deeply savoury sauce that coats each piece beautifully. This adaptation is ideal for a slow cooker, which does the work for you whilst you attend to other tasks. Perfect for dinner parties, Sunday suppers, or any occasion that calls for something impressive yet comforting
Watch: Braised Short Ribs | Basics with Babish
Original recipe video — click to play
Original method: approximately 3 hours at 160°C
Ingredients
Main
- 1500 g beef short ribs, bone-in, trimmed of excess fat
Brown in a hot pan before adding to slow cooker for best flavour
- 600 ml beef stock
Reduced quantity from traditional oven method to suit slow cooker
Aromatics
- 150 g onion, roughly chopped
- 150 g carrot, roughly chopped
- 100 g celery, roughly chopped
Herbs & Spices
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
Add in final 30 minutes of cooking to preserve flavour
- 2 leaves bay leaf
- 6 whole black peppercorns
Seasoning
- 5 g salt
Adjust to taste
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Cooking
- 30 ml olive oil
For browning meat
Method
- 1
Pat the short ribs dry with kitchen paper and season generously all over with salt and black pepper.
~5 mins - 2
Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches to avoid crowding, brown the short ribs on all sides until deeply caramelised, approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
~15 minsTip: This step is crucial for developing flavour. Do not skip even though you're using a slow cooker.
- 3
Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery to the same pan and sauté gently for 3-4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
~5 mins - 4
Pour the beef stock into the pan, scraping up any caramelised bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer and add the bay leaves and peppercorns.
~3 minsTip: This deglazing step adds tremendous depth to the braising liquid
- 5
Transfer the browned short ribs and all aromatics and braising liquid to your slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours or on High for 5 hours, until the meat is extremely tender and falls away from the bone.
~5 hrs - 6
In the final 30 minutes of cooking, add the fresh thyme sprigs to the slow cooker for optimal flavour.
~30 minsTip: Adding fresh herbs towards the end preserves their delicate flavour
- 7
Remove the short ribs from the slow cooker and arrange on a serving platter. Discard the bay leaves and peppercorns. If desired, strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and serve as a sauce alongside the meat.
~5 minsTip: You may wish to skim excess fat from the surface of the braising liquid before serving
- 8
Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve whilst hot, spooning the rich braising sauce over each portion.
~2 mins
Nutrition
Detailed nutritional information is coming soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Browning the meat in a hot pan creates a deeply caramelised crust through the Maillard reaction. This develops rich, complex flavours that are essential to a successful braise. Although the slow cooker does most of the cooking, this initial searing step makes an enormous difference to the final result
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