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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
Can I make this in an instant pot? And if so, which settings?
Hey Carine,
I would cook on high pressure for 40 minutes. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Can I make this a day ahead of time and reheat?
Hi Jeanice,
Sure, that would work well for you. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I made this for thanksgiving (we are doing a family thanksgiving later) and it turned out so delicious! We all cleaned our plate. I did sear the meat and caramelize the onions as if I were using the oven method, then transferred everything to the crockpot to cook on low. I would recommend cutting the carrots smaller than you’d think as my chunks were still a bit firm. The liquid could have used a quick thickening on the stove with flour, but it was delicious as-is. I used wine (2019 Bodega El Porvenir De Cafayate Amauta Absoluto Torrontes) instead of broth. It was so easy and delicious! I can’t wait to make this again
Hi there,
Wonderful!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
Made this for Thanksgiving. It was very yummy. I always make short ribs with tomato paste and red wine. I liked the subtle sweetness from the cider and the beef took center stage. Great recipe!
Hi there,
I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for trying it out! Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
This was fantastic. The flavor and the aroma was out of this world. I am going to follow a few others’ comments and try a slightly more lean cut of beef. I served over mashed potatoes and yummmmm. Five stars. Thank you!!
Hi Maribeth,
Thanks so very much for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Could I use pork ribs?
Hey Lauren,
Sure, that would work well for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! Thank you for these amazing recipes. I will be making the faux-tisserie chicken recipe along with this for Thanksgiving. Do you think it would be ok to cook this at 300 instead of 325 since the other recipe calls for 300?
Hey Idania,
Yes, that should be just fine to do, I would cook a little longer to account for the lower temp. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Normally I don’t riff on HBH’s recipes the first time (or even subsequent times for that matter) which is HUGE for me ;). This time, circumstances demanded it however. I made the 45-minute coq au vin with mashed potatoes day yesterday, so didn’t want to do mashed potatoes again today with thanksgiving so close. So … I served this with store-bought butternut squash ravioli. Omg. Family LOVED it. Great autumn recipe. I will definitely make it with mashed potatoes in the future, but for this week, this was perfect.
Hey Karen,
Awesome! It’s so great to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! xTieghan
SOOOOOOOO good, thank you Tieghan! I followed the recipe and it was perfect.
Hey Amber,
Awesome! It’s so great to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan!
This looks SO good and I really want to try it out, I’m just wondering if you have any thoughts on an alternative cut to short ribs? Where I live at least, 5 lb can get pricey and I’m wondering if country style ribs would work, or if there’s a cut you think would work well in it’s stead. Thank you!
Hey Anna,
You could totally use something like beef chuck in place of the short ribs. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try! xTieghan
I tried it with a chuck roast (also added a few mushrooms) in the slow cooker and it was really yummy! I found there to be a lot of liquid in the cooker once it was all done, though, so I actually strained it into a saucepan and cooked it down with some flour and butter so it made a thicker sauce. Served over mashed potatoes. I loved the slightly sweet flavor of the cider, and the onions are so yummy. A great and unique pot roast if you like!
Hey Anna,
I love to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xTieghan
I’m making these today for a Friendsgiving and am trying to decide whether or not to slow cook in the Instant Pot or go the dutch oven route. Do you have a preferred way? If I were to do the Instant Pot, do you saute the onions prior to adding everything? Looking forward to tasting these – they sound delicious!
Hey Hannah,
I personally would do the slow cooker, I think it’s the best! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I have not made this yet but was super excited until I saw that short ribs are $40 for less than 2 lbs near me. So I, too, will try it with chuck roast. Is “bone in” essential?
Hi there,
You could use boneless, that will work just fine as well. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
This was delicious! One thing is tho the apple flavor from the cider didn’t really come through but this was still very tasty especially served over some mashed potatoes. I also sifted a little bit of flour into the sauce after taking the short ribs out to thicken it a little. It was great! So easy to make too??
Hey Danette,
Wonderful!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed. Have a great Saturday! xTieghan
Made this tonight. Delicious! Thank you
Hey Tanya,
Happy Friday!! Love to hear that you liked the recipe, thanks for giving it a try! Have a great weekend. xTieghan
Hi Tieghan!
I’m so excited to be making these for our Friendsgiving dinner on Sunday!! I am feeding 6 adults and 2 young boys and am trying to figure out how much I should increase the recipe. Also, any advice on cocotte size? I have both a crockpot and a cocotte that are each 6 Qt. I can’t wait to share our results with you!
Cheers!
Hey Kelly,
I would just do the recipe and a half. A 6 quart pot is perfect. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
I am making this tomorrow and wondered if you trim a lot of the fat off first before cooking?
Hi Susan,
I don’t trim any of the fat for this recipe. I hope the dish turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Made this last night for my boyfriend and I…SOOO GOOD! I also made the herb mashed potatoes to go with it. He loved it, so he said 🙂 I have never made short ribs before so I was excited to try this and it had awesome flavor, followed exact recipe. Used sparkling cider even
Hey Hali,
Wonderful! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
I made this for my family this weekend – it was absolutely amazing! Everyone loved it! I added whole mushrooms when the apples went in, and they were a delicious addition, too. Thank you for the recipe!
Hey Emma,
Wonderful! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan