Slow-Cooker Short Ribs

If I had to pick one food to write a love song to, it would probably be short ribs. I just found out about them a couple of years ago when I ordered them at a restaurant expecting spareribs, and was surprised that the meltingly tender meat I received had no bones at all. The texture of short ribs feels so deluxe if you're used to steak or ground beef. I can't get enough!

You can buy boneless or bone-in short ribs. I usually buy bone-in because I think cooking with the bones in gives the meat extra flavor. They can be served on the bone, like in this recipe for kratiem prik thai short ribs, or off the bone, shredded, like I've done here.

For this recipe, I rubbed the short ribs with a mix of a few of my favorite spices: coriander, turmeric, and smoked paprika. Next I seared the ribs on all sides, deglazed the pan with some lime juice and chopped shallots, and put everything in the slow cooker. The resulting meat doesn't taste strongly of any one spice or flavor, but instead all those other ingredients just help the short ribs taste even more like their delicious selves. If there's a spice blend you prefer, feel free to use it in place of what I call for here! Next time I make these, I'm going to try them with Creole seasoning.

As you may have guessed from the photos, I recommend serving these delicious morsels of crunchy-around-the-edges meat on top of some paleo flatbread with a little cilantro. A little dollop of plain yogurt, raita, or paleo raita would also be wonderful. Of course, if you just want a big bowl of unadulterated short ribs, no one would be able to blame you. They're pretty perfect on their own!

Slow-Cooker Short Ribs
Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 4-10 hours, largely unattended

Ingredients:

1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon bittersweet smoked paprika
Ghee or extra virgin olive oil
6 bone-in beef short ribs (4-5 pounds)
4 shallots or 1 onion, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup water

Mix the salt, pepper, and spices in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture all over the ribs.

Heat a very large skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add enough ghee or oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Add the short ribs and sear for 3-4 minutes per side until well browned, about 20 minutes total. Transfer the short ribs to a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, arranging them vertically so they're standing up.

Add the shallots, lime juice, and water to the skillet, and scrape with a spatula to deglaze the pan. Let the mixture bubble away for 3-4 minutes, and then pour it over the short ribs. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours, until the meat is very tender and easy to pull apart with a fork. Use tongs to transfer the ribs to a plate or cutting board, discarding the liquid in the slow cooker. Shred the meat with two forks, removing the bones and any excess fat. Serve hot.

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