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Slow Cooker Molasses Short Ribs

Tasty sweet molasses slow cooker short ribs, done until they fall off the bone.
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There is almost nothing like some fabulous slow cooker molasses short ribs for dinner – when you add in the sweet, heavy tang of molasses these short ribs become one amazing dinner!

Two Pieces Slow Cooker Molasses Short Ribs

Slow Cooker Short Ribs with Molasses

Yes, I like short ribs lately. A lot. I am in love with these meaty little tidbits of happy. I really like the braised short ribs that I made before, but wanted something with a little more flavor, short ribs with a sauce that was robust and satisfyingly thick on a bed of white rice. This recipe is one that my mom has used time and time again for short ribs – she wasn’t much of an oven braising kind of cook. While I do prefer to braise short ribs in the oven to get the lovely browning and depth of flavour that only comes with oven braised ribs, making slow cooker short ribs is not an option that should be scoffed at.

What are short ribs?

Short ribs are small pieces  of beef taken from the brisket, chuck or rib areas of beef cattle. The actual piece of short rib will consist of a short portion of the rib bone, which is surrounded by chuck/blade steak type meat. All of the meat surrounding the literal “short rib” is tough and requires a long, slow cooking time in order to bring out the best qualities in the meat. Short ribs are NOT a fast cooking cut of beef, so take that into consideration when it comes down to you choosing to cook them.

How long do short ribs take to cook in the slow cooker?

This is a hard question to answer, because it will vary on the type of meat that is surrounding the rib bone. It will take a minimum of 3-4 hours on high and 6-8 hours on low, but you if get short ribs that are thicker or are exceptionally sinewy or fatty, they will need longer to break down into the buttery goodness that short rib meat ends up being. Like I said above, short ribs are not a meat to rush into and hope you can cook them in an hour!

Close Up Piece Slow Cooker Molasses Short Ribs
slow cooker molasses short ribs

How do you eat short ribs?

I prefer for aesthetics and ease to serve the short rib on the bone as shown in the photos. It looks better and it also allows the person eating it to pull apart and eat the pieces that they want, instead of you shredding it off the bone and plating it for them. They are NOT a finger-food like other ribs though, make no mistake! They are huge chunks of ribs and meat meant to be attacked with a fork and knife.

If you need some other great slow cooker dinner recipes, try:

  1. Slow Cooker Texas Pulled Pork
  2. Shipwreck Casserole
  3. Johnny Marzetti Casserole
  4. Slow Cooker Baked Ziti

Happy cooking!

Love,

Karlynn

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Molasses Slow Cooker Short Ribs

Tasty sweet molasses slow cooker short ribs, done until they fall off the bone.
Close Up Piece Slow Cooker Molasses Short Ribs
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
6 hours
Total Time
6 hours 10 minutes
Course
Dinner
Cuisine
American
Servings
4
Calories
298
Equipment
Slow Cooker / Crockpot
Author
Karlynn Johnston

Ingredients
 

  • 2 packages of beef short ribs, 2 large ribs to a package
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 5 tablespoons molasses
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1400 millilitre can of tomato sauce

Instructions
 

  • Place a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add in the butter and melt.  
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, pepper and flour. Dredge the short ribs through the mixture, coating well until they are covered.
  • Fry the short ribs in the skillet until they are browned on the outside. Place them in the bottom of a large slow cooker.
  • Mix up your sauce now – the molasses, tomato sauce, onion powder and vinegar, then pour it over the ribs. I always seal my crockpot to keep in moisture, tinfoil between the top and the lid, the tinfoil seems to help heat and moisture-wise. 
  • Cook on low for 6-7 hours, then they just literally fall off the bone! Serve on a bed of rice and use the sauce on the rice as well. 

Recipe Notes

I cook one large short rib per person and you can do the same. Buy large, fresh looking (bright red, not dry) short ribs that have marbled fat throughout the meat.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 298kcal, Carbohydrates: 55g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 15mg, Sodium: 2477mg, Potassium: 1549mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 33g, Vitamin A: 1695IU, Vitamin C: 24.5mg, Calcium: 100mg, Iron: 5.9mg

All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

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Karlynn Johnston

Iā€™m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

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Site Index Beef ribs Molasses Short ribs Slow cooker

Reader Interactions

Comments & Recipe Tips Share a tip or comment!

  1. Kelly Eaglesham says

    Do you have an approximate weight for the ribs? A Package can mean a lot of things!

  2. Danielle Boyd says

    Will you be doing a savory cookbook in the future?

    • The Kitchen Magpie says

      The next one is a mixture of desserts and meals!

    • Danielle Boyd says

      Oooohhhhh yay!!!!!!! Awesome! Do you have a release date yet?

    • The Kitchen Magpie says

      Danielle Boyd just finishing up the details!

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