Melt Off the Bone Slow Cooker Short Ribs

Luxury meal... no big deal!

Short Ribs... they are delicious and they have some clout. For something so easy to create in the home kitchen, they are featured as luxury dishes in restaurants ….. and so they should be, but not because we need to spend a zillion dollars to eat them, nor do we need a lot of time.

Let me tell you about Sunday... I have a great friend... she is a life coach... more on that later! But our kids are friends also and Sunday was wet and unfun. Good thing they have fun parents who plan the parent and kid play date.... the ultimate win win!

We spent the afternoon like this... for $15 a kid it was money well spent and might I add, this particular past time seems to attract focused, respectful, wholesome young men and women. As a mother of two daughters, in a crazy world... I enjoyed the little clique this sport seemed to entice. We found it because my eldest C2 wanted to rock climb for her birthday party with friends. #coastalclimbing was great for her birthday but also maxed out the kid fun on our rainy Sunday on the West Coast.

I picked AAA cut short ribs... These are difficult to find organic or antibiotic free.. they are also not a weekly showcase to my meal planning.. so moderation is key! Start with a generous dusting of Himalayan pink salt, pepper and Garlic powder.

These are a tough cut of meat and while slow cooking alone will break down the tissue... you miss a flavour opportunity if you do not sear your meat prior to their submersion into "goodness". My trick? Cook down the onions and garlic first and then use that pan to sear the beef... its an added layer to the flavour profile... but why wouldn't you? I also added Oregano near the end to become arromatic and mix with the flavor.

I placed the onion and garlic blend into the slow cooker retaining the cooked bits in the pan to sear the meat...

Once seared I set aside, again retaining the cooked bits in the pan for the jus! Next add 2 cups of beef stock, red wine and I used left over tomato sauce. Typical recipes call for tomato paste, but I never have it on hand... pasta sauce ? yes and I've never tasted a difference. On to the wine... this is where I use up wine brought over from dinner parties that were never finished... you know... wine that is still good, but doesn't taste amazing alone in a glass. There is no alcohol abuse happening at my house! We find a good home for "past its prime wine" so it lives to see another day!

With the sauce ready to go... I chopped up some organic carrots and celery to round out the dish. I feel badly throwing out those end bits... so in my dog household, they don't go to waste either!

I loaded everything in the slow cooker and placed on high for 5 hours covered. And to the climbing wall we went!!

I will note the smell of my house once home was worth its weight in gold! To create the perfect nest for this meal I then popped russet potatoes in my pressure cooker to prepare in short order. I used Earth Balance spread and #pacific brand cashew milk to make it dairy free. Toss a green salad and it was the perfect rainy day meal.

ahh and it was fall off the bone, shred-able goodness with an intense flavor profile! Enjoy!!

The Recipe

Select 8 short rib bones (typically 2 per person)

dust with pink salt pepper and garlic powder.

Cut up 2 red onions and slice finely 3 cloves of garlic

sauté in avocado oil until translucent and aromatic, add in 1 tablespoon of oregano flakes for the last few minutes.

Transfer to the slow cooker.

Use the same pan to sear the beef ribs on each side after the generous dusting of salt pepper and garlic. Set aside.

Place 2 cups of beef stock in a pan... I was generous with red wine.... I last capped myself at 2 1/2 cups of wine at free pour... maybe start at 1 1/2 cups if you are unfamiliar with the richness wine provides (all the alcohol is burned off over the 5 hours of cooking) Add 4 tablespoons of pasta sauce or 3 tablespoons of tomato paste.. mix well.

Add the sauce to the slow cooker and throw in 2 bay leaves. Nestle the ribs in the sauce and cover with the cut carrots and celery.

Cook on high for 5 hours. Serve on mashed potatoes!