Braised Beef Short Ribs

Rich, saucy, and forgiving — the sauce keeps everything moist through freezing and reheating, so it's a top pick for portioned pans and sealed bags.

Ingredients

• 3 lb bone-in beef short ribs
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup red wine (or more broth)
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp dried thyme

Instructions

1. Season the ribs with the salt and sear hard in the oil on all sides. Transfer to the slow cooker.
2. In the same pan, soften the onion and garlic, stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute, then pour in the wine to deglaze, scraping up the browned bits.
3. Pour the pan contents over the ribs and add the broth, Worcestershire, brown sugar, and thyme.
4. Cook on low 8 hours until the meat pulls from the bone. Skim excess fat.

Make-Ahead & Storage

Portion with plenty of sauce and freeze up to 3 months; vacuum-seals well for reheating from the bag. Serve over mashed potatoes, polenta, or egg noodles.

Notes

Searing the ribs first is where most of the deep flavor comes from — worth the extra pan. A boneless version works too; reduce to about 2.5 lb.