Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs with Polenta
The Dinner That Makes My Kitchen Smell Like Home
Alright, so picture this: it’s freezing outside, the kind of cold where your breath fogs in the hallway, and my kitchen is basically a sauna, except it smells like beef and red wine instead of eucalyptus oil. That’s thanks to my beloved (slightly battered) slow cooker, gently bubbling away with these rich, sticky beef short ribs. I always make mashed polenta on the side, too—mostly because my partner claims it’s the best part, and honestly, it probably is. Once, my nephew tried to eat the leftovers for breakfast, straight cold out of the fridge. Can’t say I blame him.
Why You’ll Love This Dish (or, Why I Keep Coming Back to It)
I make this when the week has been a weird stew of chaos and I just want something unfussy—that’s going to pay me back with actual flavor. My family goes a bit bonkers for it because the meat just falls apart (sometimes I have to rescue it from being shredded all over the place, but who’s judging). There was a spell where I dreaded slow cooker dinners for being bland, but, after a lot of tweaking (and one absolute disaster with too much vinegar—let’s not revisit that), this version hits the spot.
Here’s What You’ll Need (Feel Free to Wing It a Little)
- Beef short ribs – about 2 kg (or 4-ish pounds). Sometimes I just grab whatever bone-in beef is on discount. My butcher swears by grass-fed, but let’s be real, I’ve used supermarket stuff plenty too.
- 2 onions, sliced—yellow or white, either way
- 3-4 carrots (these hide nicely in the sauce; swap for parsnips if that’s what you’ve got. Won’t hurt anyone!)
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed (I’m heavy handed but no one’s ever bat an eye)
- 1 heaped tbsp tomato paste (Ketchup works in a pinch but don’t tell my grandmother)
- 2 cups (500ml) beef stock (Or chicken if you’re out of beef – don’t stress)
- 1 cup (250ml) red wine (Any leftover bottle knocking about, and once I tried it with Guinness: good, but wine’s just better)
- Fresh thyme (a good handful, or dried if that’s all you have)
- 1 bay leaf—I always lose it somewhere in the pot. Every time.
- Olive oil for searing
- S&P – salt and black pepper, to taste
- For the Polenta: about 1 cup (160g) polenta (the instant kind if you’re short on time, or the slow stuff if you like a good arm workout)
- Butter – 3 tbsp (or, you know, as much as makes you happy)
- Parmesan cheese, grated – totally optional but highly recommended
- Milk or cream (splash this in depending on how lush you want your polenta. No judgment if you add extra.)
How It Goes Down: The Casual (But Tasty) Steps
- Brown the ribs: Get a big skillet or, heck, use the slow cooker insert if it’s stovetop-safe. Heat up a glug of olive oil, then brown those ribs on all sides until they look caramel-y and, erm, a bit of a mess. This is where your kitchen starts smelling amazing. (I always get impatient and try to cram them all in at once. Actually, I find it works better if you do them in batches—less steam, more brown bits.)
- Sauté the base: Take the meat out, toss in your onions, carrots, and a pinch of salt. Cook until they start to soften and get a touch of gold on ‘em. Stir in garlic and tomato paste, cook for a minute, then pour in the wine to deglaze all those crusty bits from the pan (this is where I sneak a taste, just to check). Let it simmer for a few mins, just until it’s reduced a smidge.
- Time to slow cook: Dump the sautéed veg mixture, ribs, bay leaf, thyme, and stock into your slow cooker. Use a spatula to get all the good bits in. Give it a stir, slap on the lid, then cook on low for about 8 hours—or high for 4-5 hours if you’re behind schedule (we’ve all been there). If it looks weird and bubbly at this stage, don’t panic; things will come together.
- Polenta magic: About 30 ish minutes before you want to eat, start the polenta. Bring 4 cups (1 liter) of salted water to a boil. Whisk in the polenta in a slow, steady stream (sometimes I go too fast and get lumps, but hey, lumps are just extra texture). Cook, stirring fairly often, until thick and creamy. Add butter, a splash of milk or cream, and whatever parm you’ve got lying around.
- Final touches: Fish out the bay leaf (if you can!), spoon off the excess fat form the surface (optional, but worth it), taste, and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve up: Big heap of polenta on a plate, meat and sauce (plus a few carrots, very soft by now), and shower with extra parmesan if you’re feeling fancy.
Truths I’ve Learned (the Notes Section)
- Sometimes I skip browning the meat, but honestly, flavor-wise, it does make a difference.
- If the sauce looks greasy, just skim the fat or let it cool a bit and scoop it off—the polenta covers a multitude of sins anyway.
- Tastes better the next day, no two ways about it. Cold-out-of-the-fridge bites are a guilty pleasure.
- If the sauce seems watery, crank the slow cooker to high for the last 30 mins with the lid off.
Experimental Variations (Some Worked, One Didn’t)
- I’ve swapped red wine for beer—stout was alright, but it was almost too punchy. White wine didn’t do their thing here, trust me.
- Potatoes work fine instead of polenta but, honestly, it’s just not the same level of cozy. Rice is okay if you must.
- Tried chuck roast in place of short ribs late one night. Guess what, it worked, but I still missed the bones in the sauce.
Stuff You’ll Need—But Don’t Worry If You Don’t Have It
- Slow cooker (obviously, but I once did this in a Dutch oven in the oven at low temp for 3 hrs, and it was nearly as good)
- Decent knife and chopping board (I use my slightly dull one—hasn’t murdered a carrot yet)
- A big sturdy spoon or spatula for stirring things around (in a pinch, go wild and use a wooden spoon; it’s all the same at the end)
How to Store Leftovers (If You Have Any!)
Just pop whatever’s left into an airtight container, stick it in the fridge, and it’ll be nice for up to 3 days. (Though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day!) The polenta sometimes sets up a bit—don’t worry, just warm it up with a splash of water or milk and it returns to its creamy self.
My Favorite Ways to Serve This—You Do You
I love a pile of fresh green beans or kale on the side, for contrast. My sister swears by a hunk of crusty bread to mop up the sauce (she’s not wrong). For special occasions, a little gremolata (lemon zest, garlic, parsley) is wild on top—even though my kids are suspicious of anything green.
Lessons Learned the Hard Way (Pro Tips)
- I once tried rushing the sear on the ribs and regretted it—the flavor just wasn’t there. If you can, take your time.
- Don’t crowd the pan when browning meat. I used to try to fit it all in, but it just steams instead of browning, so batches are worth the fuss.
- If you forget the bay leaf, it’s not the end of the world.
Questions I’ve Actually Been Asked (or Asked Myself)
- Can I use boneless short ribs? Yep, but the bones really do add flavor—it’s just not quite as good, in my humble opinion.
- What if I don’t have red wine? Try beef broth plus a splash of balsamic vinegar (or even Worcestershire sauce), but maybe skip the ketchup this time.
- Can you make this ahead? 100 percent. In fact, I think it’s better after a day in the fridge. The flavors seem to get cozy together. Or maybe that’s just me.
- Is there a way to make this spicy? Sure thing, just chuck in some chili flakes or a chopped fresh chili with the veg. I’m a wimp about heat, but you do you!
- Does it freeze well? Yeah, it does (again, if you have any left!). I freeze the meat and sauce together and make fresh polenta whenever.
- How do you get the kids to eat those carrots? Honestly? If they’re soft enough and covered in sauce, they go unnoticed…
Oh, and I once dropped my entire polenta pot—lid off—on the floor. The dog was delighted. Me? Less so. Clean up was worth it, though.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs beef short ribs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup polenta
- 4 cups water
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
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1Season beef short ribs generously with salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the short ribs on all sides, then transfer to the slow cooker.
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2In the same skillet, add chopped onion and cook until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute longer, then transfer both to the slow cooker.
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3Pour the beef broth and red wine into the slow cooker. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, and rosemary. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, until the beef is fall-off-the-bone tender.
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4About 30 minutes before serving, bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Whisk in polenta and cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 20–25 minutes. Stir in butter and Parmesan cheese until creamy.
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5Serve the slow-cooked beef short ribs and sauce over creamy polenta. Garnish with additional herbs or cheese if desired.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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