It was a strange confession to make, but I felt I had to fess up. A friend who once ran a large recipe-based website was recently explaining to me that slow-cooker recipes are wildly more popular online than conventional recipes. This shocked me. And I had to be honest with her … not only did I never use a slow cooker, I didn’t even own one.

Truth is, I love slow cooking, but I’d never done it in a slow cooker. I generally favor cast iron, which lets me brown in the pot on the stovetop, then pop the whole thing in the oven for low and slow heat. But if Americans are so smitten with their slow cookers, maybe I was missing something. So I started researching.

The first thing I learned is that today’s slow cookers are a lot different than a generation ago. Many models now let you brown or saute right inside them. This saves the annoying step of having to brown meat or vegetables in a skillet, then transfer them. That process had always been too much trouble for me. 

So I found a 4-quart slow cooker with a saute feature. To test it I made braised short ribs. This is one of my favorite dishes for entertaining because it can be made in the morning and basically forgotten until dinner is ready, or even made the day before.

Slow cooking, no matter how you do it, is perfect for short ribs. The tough cut of meat requires long, slow cooking in liquid to break down the connective tissues and become tender. Braising transforms the connective tissue into gelatin, which gives short ribs their delicious texture. Browning before braising caramelizes the meat and adds richness and depth.

I was having friends over for dinner and decided to test the slow cooker. I browned the shallots, celery, carrots and garlic in a little olive oil and I got deep, dark caramelized vegetables. I brushed the short ribs with a little olive oil, then seasoned them with salt and pepper and placed them in the slow cooker. They browned beautifully.

Next, I poured all of the braising liquids into the slow cooker — red wine, crushed tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce — gave it a stir, added fresh rosemary, then set it on high to cook for about three hours.  My apartment soon smelled divine, and a few hours later the short ribs were perfectly tender. Time for the final step.

I removed the meat, then blended the liquid and vegetables in the slow cooker. What an amazing sauce for the meat! The sweetness of the vegetables and the wine-based braising liquid perfectly balanced the savory rich beef flavors. 

I was converted! The slow cooker had won me over.

These short ribs are just the thing for easy holiday cooking. They are a snap to make, but taste like you’ve been cooking all day. Serve with noodles, rice or garlic-cheese grits. 

SLOW COOKER SHORT RIBS
4 pounds boneless beef short ribs
Olive oil
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
3 large shallots, thinly sliced
1 medium rib celery, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 cups full-bodied red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel or shiraz
1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 large springs fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Brush ribs with light coating of olive oil, then sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In large skillet over medium-high, heat 3 tablespoons oil. Add shallots, celery and carrots and about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until vegetables begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking until they begin to brown on edges, another 2 to 3 minutes. Add meat and turn to brown on all sides. (If your slow cooker has a saute function, all this can be down in the cooker.)

Transfer mixture to a 4-quart or larger slow cooker, being sure to scrape pan to get all the liquid. Add wine, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, mustard and vinegar. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on high for 3-1/2 hours, or low for 5 to 6 hours.

Transfer ribs to large platter. Remove and discard stems of rosemary sprigs. Transfer liquid and vegetables in slow cooker to a blender and carefully puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. 

Serve ribs on bed of noodles, rice, mashed potatoes or cheese grits with sauce ladled over them. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 730 calories, 40 g fat, 14 g saturated fat, 180 mg cholesterol, 16 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 59 g protein, 910 mg sodium