Slow Cooker Short Ribs: A Meal that Won’t Interfere with Your Day

Having an active lifestyle can be extremely fulfilling, but it may leave you with little time to yourself. Take retirees, for example. The average age of retirement is 63, but retirement by no means requires you to become a couch potato. If anything, it allows you even more time to go out and fill your day with the things you love.

But where does meal prep fit into all of that?

If you’re out and about all day long and you don’t want to spend long hours cooking over a hot stove, this is the ideal recipe for you. Perfect for those active summer days where you just want to come home and have dinner ready to serve. Are you ready for a quick, easy recipe that leaves you the entire day to do what you want? Here it is:

What You’ll Need:

• 2 tsp. onion powder
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. paprika
• ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 8 beef short ribs
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 bottle white wine (optional)
• 7 cups chicken stock (if not using white wine)
• 6 sprigs rosemary

To Prep:

Before you begin cooking, mix your onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Set aside and then get to chopping your veggies! The size of your vegetable pieces is up to you, as they’ll be served on the side. In addition, make sure your short ribs have had plenty of time to defrost if frozen, and plenty of time to rest before cooking.

To Cook:

Take your spice mixture, massage it into your short ribs, and then let the meat rest for about ten minutes. This resting time allows the spices to really set into the meat and provide a nice amount of flavor. While your meat is resting, take your olive oil and place it in a pan, preheating until it’s simmering. Once your olive oil is nice and hot, place your meat in the pan and give it a good sear on all sides.*

Remove the meat from the pan as soon as it’s been browned on all sides and place it into your slow cooker along with your vegetables and rosemary. If you’re using white wine, pour it over your meat and veggies. If you’re not using white wine, substitute with chicken stock.

Once everything is in your slow cooker, set the temperature to low and allow it to cook for six to seven hours.

*NOTE: To properly sear your meat, make sure your pan has had plenty of time to preheat.

To Finish:

Prep time is only 10 to 15 minutes for this recipe, so once everything is set to cook, you can simply go about your day as you normally would. And when you get home, the whole house will smell of short ribs and rosemary. Not to mention you’ll have a meal cooked and ready to eat! To serve, simply place short ribs and cooked vegetables on a plate with a pasta or risotto side.

And there you have it: a delicious, home-cooked meal that only takes 15 minutes out of your busy day. Bon appetit!