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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 this tonight OMG it was absolutely amazing. I used bone in pork chops and added 2 sliced large apples when sautéing the onions. Everyone in our family loved it. Definitely a new family favorite.
I can’t wait to try another recipe.
Hi Cheri! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xTieghan
I noticed in your recipe you specify yellow onions but in your images I see shallots. I used 5 large yellow onions and it seemed like way too many for the slow cooker. I ended up cooking them down quite a bit and just threw it in the oven. Very tasty!
Hi there! Yes, I added shallots in this recipe as well just because I love them a little too much! 🙂 xTieghan
I tried this recipe tonight, the slow cooker version. I wish that the recipe recommended to caramelize the onions in the slow cooker portion as well. I feel that the sauce would’ve been sweeter that way, it came out sort of sour even though I followed the recipe step by step. The short ribs were amazing, but I feel that the sauce would’ve been way better if the onions were caramelized prior to placing them in the crockpot.
Hi there! I’m so sorry about that, I hope the recipe was still enjoyed! xTieghan
New to following you and decided to try this recipe. Turned out fabulous! I cut recipe in half and used dried thyme because I was out of fresh and it turned out great. Perfect dinner on a fall day. I paired with cauliflower mash. Thanks again!
Hey Jessica! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! 🙂 xTieghan
I feel like I see shallots in the picture but no shallots are listed in the recipe. Do you add shallots?
Hi there! Yes, you can add shallots to this recipe! 🙂 xTieghan
Yes, no mention of shallots or a sliced head of garlic, just smashed cloves. I assume that was just aesthetically pleasing for the photo. But seriously, really good caramelized onions take close to an hour to achieve, cider or not. That being said, I love the idea of this recipe, which I’d normally consider for pork. Making it as I write this and can’t wait to taste. I’m also adding quartered pieces of Napa cabbage to the braise to up the veg quotient.
Karen, what cut of pork would you do? Pork Butt? I love your idea of adding cabbage to braise. Curious, how are you going to cook this, oven or slow cooker and when will you add the cabbage?
Cari, yes, I’d use bone in butt or picnic, although it would have to cook much longer. I did oven method and put the cabbage in right at the beginning of the braise. Made this last night for friends and it was a hit, but I do think the recipe is better suited for pork. The beef and apple combo was just off for me. And I’d also uncover the pot in the last hour to reduce the sauce a bit.
Thanks! I am making it again this weekend for company and I might go with the pork!
Hi Karen! Yes, those were included for the photo, but you can definitely add them in if you’d like! I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
Delicious! Perfect on a snowy night in Aspen. The apple cider and apple added a nice sweetness to the gravy.
Hi there! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! xTieghan
I made this recipe with a Boston pork roast and it was AMAZING! I cubed the pork into 2″ cubes and followed the oven recipe. It was SO delicious and the perfect fall recipe!
Hi there! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! xTieghan
Hi there..I saw this post after I went grocery shopping…would I be able to substitute smoked sausages instead of the beef (I have everything else except the right meat!)
Hi there! Yes you could definitely sub that 🙂 xTieghan
I ended up getting beef and it was so amazing! I’ve made a few recipes on your blog and they’ve all ended up delish! Baking up the cinnamon knots as I type this!
Hi there! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, and I hope you love the cinnamon knots too! 🙂 xTieghan
Hi! Wondering if you can make this in an instant pot?
Hi Abby! I haven’t tested it in an instant pot but it should work just fine! 🙂 xTieghan
Are you able to use a pot roast instead for this recipe? Would the in oven cooking time / temp differ? TIA! ?
Hi there! Yes, you can make this as a pot roast! As for the cooking time/temp, I would suggest about the same as this short rib recipe and keep an eye on it 🙂 xTieghan
Hi T! The picture shows shallots in addition to sliced yellow onions. Do we need the shallots? Thx
Hi Amy! You can leave the shallots out if you just prefer the yellow onion 🙂 xTieghan
This looks delicious!! And I have plenty of cider left over from your Prosciutto Apple Chicken that I just made this week (it’s a family favorite!). ? If I were to sub a stew style beef cut as you suggested in your stories, how much would I need? I imagine the bones in the short ribs account for a good amount of that 5 lbs per the recipe!
Hi there! I hope you love this recipe! Hmmm I’m not quite sure exactly how much you would need but I agree that the bone makes up for a lot of the weight, so maybe 3-5 lbs? xTieghan
Absolutely delish! Perfect on a cool fall evening with mashed potatoes.
Hi Stacy! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! xTieghan
I JUST grocery shopped yesterday before I saw this and actually picked up a top round beef roast. While I’m sure it won’t be as good as short ribs do you think it would still work?