Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Short Ribs

Amazingly delicious and fall off the bone tender, these slow cooker beef short ribs are quick to prep and a huge crowd pleaser. Lathered in a sweet and smoky dry rub, this beef short ribs recipe is literally no effort to make and will quickly become a family favorite!

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works
• What are Short Ribs?
• Why are Beef Short Ribs Expensive?
• Flanken vs English Style Cuts
• Ingredients
• Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions
• Expert Tips and FAQs
• Side Dishes That Pair Well
• Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs

This is my daughter's all time favorite recipe. She asks me all the time to make these slow cooker short ribs and I do because they are so easy to make. Growing up, my dad would often make baby back ribs on our BBQ smoker. And let me tell you, I grew up on some amazing southern barbeque. I've had some of the best BBQ in Nashville and Tennessee barbeque is really hard to beat flavor wise.

When I decided to make this beef short rib slow cooker recipe years ago, I had never cooked ribs before. I figured a slow cooker ribs recipe might be right up my alley since it was my first time making ribs. Mr. Mason isn't a fan of pork, so I decided to use beef short ribs. Baby back ribs are my favorite, but let me tell you these slow cooker ribs turned out beyond excellent! Who knew that these would turn out so great...and made in a slow cooker, too!

What are Short Ribs?

They come from the chuck portion of the cow. There are 5 short bones back in the chuck portion of the cow. The cow uses this muscle often, which means they aren't as tender as other types of ribs but they are incredibly flavorful.

When you cook them slowly in a slow cooker, they become extremely tender. Slow cooked beef ribs are the way to go. So you're getting the best of both worlds when making slow cooker beef short ribs...flavor and tenderness. Is this cut of beef tough? Typically yes, but not when you cook them in the slow cooker.

Why are Beef Short Ribs Expensive?

I've noticed that this cut of rib tends to be more expensive than others. I thought maybe these ribs were more pricey because the marbling is extremely evident and the cut of meat is very flavorful. The bones are massively huge so I thought the added weight of the bones was the cause for the high price.

But when I asked my butcher why they are so expensive, he said that about two years ago the "flanken style" became extremely popular and the majority of the packaging houses raised their prices because the demand became so high for flanken ribs.

Flanken vs English Style Cuts

So why are they so expensive right now? Because it's a fad. They are super popular right now because when you cut them flanken style, which basically means cutting the ribs thinly and crosswise, leaving about ½-inch thickness of meat, that goes across the bones so that each slice contains a few pieces of bone.

If you've never had flanken style short ribs you're absolutely missing out. When people marinate a flanken cut overnight, they are beyond crazy flavorful and delicious. This cut is also super popular in Korean style recipes.

This is not a flanken style recipe. It's a an English Style short ribs which basically means the short rib is cut between the ribs to separate them, leaving a thick piece of meat sitting on top of one piece of bone.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this short rib recipe. I buy 2-3 lbs of short beef ribs. Right now, I typically pay anywhere from $8.99 to $13.99 for a package of 4-5 beef short ribs. For this recipe, I buy at least 2 packages, if not 3.

I like using smoked paprika because it pairs well with the sweetness of the barbeque sauce. Because I'm using barbeque sauce, I like to use light brown sugar in my rib rub. Using dark brown sugar makes it a little too sweet.

I add a pinch of ground black and cayenne pepper to add some heat. The salt also helps cut down on the sweetness.

In my opinion, Sweet Baby Rays is the best BBQ sauce to use when making these short ribs in the crock pot when I don't feel like making a homemade BBQ sauce.

Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions

Start by making the beef rib rub. In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, light brown sugar, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.

The most important key step to this recipe is rubbing each short rib down with the rub. Make sure you are generous with the rub. Expert Tip: When applying the rub, press it firmly so it saturates in the meat. This will help maximize the flavor.

Now, I'm going to show you how to cook short ribs. Once they are covered in the rib rub recipe, place each short rib into the slow cooker so they are standing against the wall of the stoneware pot, thicker side down and meaty side against the pot. They should be close together, but not touching.

Cooking beef ribs has never been so easy. Next, pour 1 cup of BBQ sauce onto the ribs in the slow cooker. Place the lid on the slow cooker and slow cook for 7 hours on low.

Once they are done, remove them from the slow cooker and place the beef ribs in a large casserole dish. The rib meat should be falling off the bone at this point.

Using a pair tongs or 2 forks, start shredding the beef.

Expert Tip: Because we didn't remove the membrane before cooking the ribs, it is going to be present after you remove them from the slow cooker. You'll see the large piece of cooked membrane and fat so be sure to pick it out and discard during the shredding process. It's way easier to remove the membrane after it has been slow cooked.

After the rib meat has been removed from the bone, add in an ¾ cups of BBQ sauce and mix well. Top with additional BBQ sauce, plate the short ribs, and serve.

These slow cooker BBQ ribs are great served on a sesame seed bun or you can eat the shredded beef on its own. It's the perfect dinner recipe and the perfect comfort food!

Expert Tips and FAQs

• For even more flavor, apply the rib rub to the meat, cover with plastic wrap, and let them marinate in the refrigerator overnight for up to 24 hours.
• Spice Rub Technique - Rub this spice rub mixture all over both sides of the ribs. Rub the mixture into the meat as best you can. It makes a huge difference to press the rub firmly into the meat.
• Should I use bone In short ribs or boneless short ribs? - For this recipe, use bone in short ribs. The membrane is attached between the bone and the meat and when slow cooked, the flavor from the fat enhances the quality of the recipe.
• Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• You don't have to use store bought BBQ sauce. I'm a big believer of making sauces and I love making my own Homemade BBQ sauce with this beef rib recipe.
• For less mess, use slow cooker liners.

Side Dishes That Pair Well

Deviled Eggs are a crowd favorite and they pair perfectly with this recipe. I also love making my Crispy Air Fryer French Fries and serving them with this dish. Crispy and delicious, these air fryer french fries are EASY to make. You can have better than restaurant french fries in your home in less than 30 minutes.

Potato Salad is also an excellent choice. Smooth and velvety, this dill based potato salad has simple ingredients, can be made ahead, and is full of flavor. My Romaine Salad is easy and delicious and this amazingly flavorful salad is made with a creamy Havarti cheese and crisp bacon and tossed in a rich vinaigrette dressing. It’s got the perfect blend of sweet, savory, and crunchy goodness. You’ll love every bite of it!

Update Notes: This post was originally published in July 2012, but was re-published with updated step-by-step instructions, pictures, and tips in March 2021.