Slow Cooker Apple Cider Braised Short Rib w. Cauliflower Mash
Equipment
- Slow Cooker or Large Dutch Oven
Ingredients
Slow Cooker Short RIb
- 4 lbs Bone in Beef Short Rib
- 2 tbs Olive Oil or Avocado Oil
- 4 cups Apple Cider
- 3 tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
- 3 Sprigs Rosemary
- 5 cloves Smashed Garlic
- 3 Carrots sliced 1/2 inch think
Caramelized Onion
- 1.5 lbs Yellow Onion sliced thin
- Salt
- water
Cheddar Cauliflower Mash
- 1 Large Head Cauliflower
- 2 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 1/4 cup Sour Cream
- Salt
Instructions
Slow Cooker Apple Cider Short Rib
- Brown Short Ribs: (stove top directions in notesbelow): Immediately salt short ribs. Even if you aren’t making them until tomorrow! The longer they salt, the better. Keep them salted until you cook them. Trim any very thick layers of fat off of the short rib if there are any. In a large skillet, heat 2 tbs oil on medium-high heat. Place the short rib pieces into hot skillet & brown on each side. Try to render out some fat and get lots of great color. 3-5 minutes on each side.
- Braise Short Ribs: Once browned, nestle short ribs into crockpot. Cover with apple cider, apple cider vinegar, rosemary sprigs, carrots and crushed garlic cloves. Keep in crockpot on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours, or until falling off the bone and very easily shredded. Remove short rib from the bone. And with a slotted spoon, remove some fallen rosemary leaves & crushed garlic. Slice short rib into chunks, or shred. Serve with a drizzle of extra juices, garlic cloves and rosemary over cauli mash & onions.
Caramelized Onions
- In a skillet or same skillet you browned short ribs in, add 1tbs olive oil, sliced onions nad big pinch salt. Toss & cook on medium-low. Let onions soften and start to brown. When the onions brown and even get some char or the pan seems dry, add 1/2 cup water. Use it to scrape the brown bits off of the bottom of the pan and toss. Keep cooking until the liquid evaporates, and repeat with beer or water. Do this until the onions are very brown, soft, and delicious – taste as you cook! This takes about 25 minutes. Make them right before the short ribs finish cooking, or right after placing them in the crockpot.
Cauliflower Mash
- Bring large pot of water to boil. Salt well. Add cauliflower pieces & boil until very, very easily pierced with a fork. Drain, and add hot, steamed cauliflower to blender or food processor with sour cream & cheese.Blend on high until super creamy and there are no lumps. Serve hot! Make sure you taste so you can add more salt if needed.
Notes
- *The short ribs, caramelized onions and cauliflower mash can ALL be made ahead, or at different times and reheated!
- *You can also make this recipe on the stove top. In a large pot, follow steps 1-4. Cover with a lid & simmer on medium heat for 3 hours or until meat shreds easily and falls off the bone.