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Cider Braised Short Ribs with Caramelized Onions. Slow cooked short ribs in apple cider with fresh herbs and sweet caramelized onions. If there’s one cozy fall and winter meal you need to be making, it’s these braised short ribs. They’re simple to put together and totally delicious. Serve over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes and you’ll have the perfect dinner for a cold night in.
It’s about this time every year that I lean into making more low and slow dinners, either in the crockpot or braised in the oven.
There’s just something so comforting knowing that dinner is slow cooking all day long. It means a warming meal is sure to be had at the end of the day. And in fall, that’s really all I want. What I love about short ribs is that there’s something so “fancy” about them. But yet they’re actually so simple and easy to prepare.
And when cooked properly, totally delicious!
Of course, these short ribs were inspired by my brother Creighton. He’s a huge fan of pot roast. He’s always asking me to make a recipe similar to what my mom made growing up.
I’m sure at some point I will make a classic pot roast, but I love slow braising short ribs. I knew these would not disappoint anyone.
And trust me, Creighton was very pleased with this dinner. He’s been talking about it ever since I made the recipe, so I’m excited to share it today!
The details
I’ve been really into caramelizing onions lately. I love the added richness in flavor they bring. I also love that caramelizing the onions really takes the bitter bite out of them. Therefore, I knew I wanted them to be a big part of this recipe.
Start by searing the ribs in a nice big cocotte that’s oven safe. When the ribs are browned, pull them out, then add the onions and start to slowly cook them down. I love to add a splash of the apple cider to help the onions cook down a little quicker.
When the onions have reached a light gold color, the rest is simple. Just add the short ribs back to the pot, add lots of apple cider, white wine (or broth), carrots (my favorite part), garlic, and fresh thyme.
Arrange some apple wedges around the meat. Then cook low and slow all day long either in the oven or in the crockpot.
The kitchen will smell incredible as this slow cooks all day, and the outcome is beyond good.
I love the pairing of sweet apple cider and tangy caramelized onions. Something about the combo with beefy short ribs is just so good.
Finish it up
I love to serve this over creamy mashed potatoes, with gravy and onions spooned over top. Then simply add some crusty bread on the side. This really is one of the best, cozy meals there is.
It feels very fancy, and very French too, which is so fun!
I made this exact recipe for Sunday night dinner with the family. It was the perfect dinner to enjoy on our first snowy night of the year. If you need something warm and hearty to serve this fall, this recipe is a go-to.
Looking for other slow cooked fall recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Red Wine Cranberry Braised Short Ribs
Slow Cooker Red Wine Braised Short Rib Pasta
Slow Cooker Coq au Vin with Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
Lastly, if you make these Cider Braised Short Ribs, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the how-to video:
Cider Braised Short Ribs with Caramelized Onions
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 868 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 5 pounds bone in beef short ribs
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 4 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cups apple cider
- 2 cups chicken broth or dry white wine
- 6 carrots, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 apple, quartered (optional)
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
Oven
- 1. Preheat the oven to 325° F.2. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper, then rub with flour to coat. Heat a large oven-safe Dutch Oven over high heat, sear the ribs on both sides. Remove the ribs to a plate, wipe the pot clean of grease. 3. Add the butter and onions and cook 5 minutes, until softened. Add a 1/2 cup apple cider, season with salt and pepper, and continue cooking another 5-8 minutes, until the cider has evaporated and the onions are lightly golden. Add the thyme, then add the short ribs back to the pot. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups cider, broth or wine, carrots, garlic, and bay leaves. Arrange the apples around the meat. Cover and roast in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the short ribs are tender and falling off the bone.3. Remove the bay leaves. Serve the ribs over a bed of mashed potatoes. Drizzle with the pan sauce and onions. Enjoy!
Slow Cooker
- 1. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper, then rub with flour to coat. Heat a large Dutch Oven over high heat, sear the ribs on both sides. 2. To the bowl of your crockpot, add the butter and onions, then place the ribs over the onions. Add thyme, apple cider, broth or wine, carrots, garlic, and bay leaves. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 5-6 hours. During the last 1-2 hours of cooking, add the apples, arranging them around the meat.3. Remove the bay leaves. Serve the ribs over a bed of mashed potatoes. Drizzle with the pan sauce and onions. Enjoy!
This post was originally published on October 13, 2021
I made these and served over creamy polenta and it was a hit! I couldn’t find bone in short rib at Trader Joe’s so I subbed for beef stew chunks and still great! And added cremini mushrooms! Such a great taste with the apple cider.
Hey Emily,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Have the best day! xTieghan
How would you alter the recipe if making this for 8-10? Excited to serve this for a dinner party I am throwing in a couple weeks
Hey Karlos,
You can manually adjust the serving size and the website will automatically adjust all of the ingredients for you. Just be sure your pot is large enough. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I made these yesterday for my book club. They were fantastic and everyone loved them!!
Thanks so much Candy! 🙂 xTieghan
Hi! Is this dish ok to “stay warm” in the crock pot for a few hours after cooking, or does it need to be removed? I’d love to make this for my husband’s bday dinner but work during the day. Thank you!
Hi Kristen! Yes, that should be fine! 🙂 xTieghan
Hi! I made this and it was delicious. Any reason I couldn’t use a beef chuck roast instead for next time?
I used chuck roasted and it tasted wonderful.
Hey Taylor, thanks so much! Yes, that should be just fine 🙂 xTieghan
This was so so delicious! Teigan I can’t thank you enough for sharing this recipe. I had friends over for dinner and they could not stop raving about how amazing it was! I will definitely make this again?
Thanks so much Jennifer! 🙂 xTieghan
I made this tonight with your garlic mashed potatoes. All I can say is “wow”! What an amazing meal! The short ribs were full of flavor and the potatoes were so creamy. Thank you for a delicious meal!
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so happy to hear it was enjoyed! 🙂 xTieghan
Have you by chance done this in an instapot?
Hey there! I’m so sorry, I haven’t! xTieghan
Would apple cider vinegar work as a sub? And what would you change about this if you made it with a big chunk of beef instead of short ribs? TIA!
Hi Mary! I haven’t tried this with apple cider vinegar so I’m not sure! xTieghan
Hi! I am hosting a dinner party and planning on making this recipe! How many pounds of boneless short ribs would you recommend for 10 people? Would I double your recipe for that many people?
Hi Anna! Yes, I would just double the recipe! 🙂 xTieghan
So good! Followed the recipe, but because I had just made beef stew a few days ago it occurred to me to coat the beef in flour before searing. I think because of that, the sauce was the perfect consistency. Great recipe!
Hey! Thank you so much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Happy Monday ? xTieghan
Made this recipe from the IG video OMG, my husband loved it. Can’t wait to make more recipes.
Hey! Thank you so much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Happy Monday ? xTieghan
I bought half the amount of beef short rib. Should I halve the rest of the recipe? Should I shorten the cooking time? Making this recipe today. Thanks!
I also had half the amount of meat. I halved the recipe but cook time should stay the same. At least I hope – its in the oven now!
Hi there! I would shorten the cooking time a bit, but you can still add the same amounts of everything if you’d like! xxTieghan
Do you have an instant pot conversion for this recipe?
Do you have a video for each recipe? If so, it would be nice to have the video attached/linked to the recipe??
Hi there! Yes, I have videos on my Instagram and Tik Tok 🙂 xxTieghan
Wow, this may have been my favorite Half Baked Harvest recipe yet! Turned out so amazing with minimal work. Definitely a family pleaser, highly recommend making this!
Thanks Kaitlyn! HappyThursday! xxTieghan