Slow Cooker Short Ribs Stew
Ingredients
- 4 pounds short ribs
- 1 package pearl onions
- 3 yukon potatoes, cubed
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bottle beer
- 32 ounces beef broth
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes
- 2 cups carrots, cubed
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons worchesterchire sauce
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 slices bacon
Instructions
- Pat short ribs dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle all sides of the short rib with salt, pepper, paprika and a SMALL amount of cayenne pepper. Finally, dredge in flour and tap off excess.
- Saute 4 slices of bacon into crispy.
- Reserve all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease and brown the short ribs on all sides under medium-high heat. This is best done in a dutch oven or heavy bottom pot.
- If needed, add more bacon grease as you brown the short ribs.
- Set aside short ribs and saute onions. Salt and pepper onions. When translucent, add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Deglaze the pot with a bottle of beer scraping bits at the bottom of the pot. Allow to reduce down for a few minutes.
- Add can of diced tomatoes, worhesterchire sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper. Bring to boil and then turn off.
- In slow cooker, add short ribs, potatoes, carrots, onions, thyme, bay leaves, chopped bacon and beer mixture. Add beef broth until covered and cook on high for 6-8 hours.
- When potatoes are tender [~6 hours], strain mixture reserving all broth. Remove short rib bones, thyme and bay leaves from strainer and discard
- Using a degreaser, remove the fat from the left over gravy. Bring gravy to a slight boil and then thicken with a premixed slurry of flour and water [3 tablespoons each]. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Return everything back to slow cooker until ready to be served on low temp.