This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.

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.

Cider Braised Short Ribs with Caramelized Onions | halffbakedharvest.com

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!

Cider Braised Short Ribs with Caramelized Onions | halffbakedharvest.com

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.

Cider Braised Short Ribs with Caramelized Onions | halffbakedharvest.com

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.

Cider Braised Short Ribs with Caramelized Onions | halffbakedharvest.com

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.

Cider Braised Short Ribs with Caramelized Onions | halffbakedharvest.com

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

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
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

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!
View Recipe Comments
Cider Braised Short Ribs with Caramelized Onions | halffbakedharvest.com

Add a Comment

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

    1. Hey Julia,
      Totally, that will work well for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx

    1. Hi Peg,
      Sure, I would cook on high pressure for 40-50 minutes. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope this turns out well for you! xx

  1. 5 stars
    I made this for a cozy dinner last night with friends to celebrate a new job! They turned out tender and delicious, and were such a treat on a cold day… and great with red wine! I love when a recipe lets you build based on your taste preference 🙂 A couple of things that could have made it more successful (for me at least):
    – Having a bigger dutch oven (I made this in the 6qt round Le Creuset and could have done better with the large oval one so the meat wasn’t fully submerged in the braising liquid. I ended up removing about 1/2 a cup of stock / apple cider an hour into the cook so that it would reduce better.
    – The apple cider didn’t yield as rich/deep of a flavor in the gravy for (for my taste!) as when I’ve made short ribs that included red wine. I ended up putting in a couple splashes (maybe 1/2 cup) for the last hour of the cook time and it made it AMAZING. Thanks Tieghan for an amazing recipe! Will definitely make this one again.

    1. Hey Katherine,
      Perfect!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Thanks for sharing your feedback! xT

  2. Hey Teighan,

    We doubled the recipe for approx. 9 pounds of short ribs and cooked it in a slow cooker.
    2 cups of cider and 2 cups of white wine is a lot of liquid!! Slow cooked in a Crockpot for approx. 5 hours at high temperature and it was Terrible!! The meat was over cooked and was like rubber. Perhaps doubling the recipe is not a good idea?.. The carrots were al dente and crunchy. It was like a big pot of soup with tons of onions, overcooked meat and under cooked carrots!
    Not a great way to impress my son’s girlfriend’s parents who were with us for dinner 🙁

    1. Hey James,
      Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback. So sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! Hmmm, it sounds like the meat was not cooked enough if it was like rubber. The meat should be super tender and falling off the bone and cooking longer is only going to make it more tender. Doubling can be tricky in a crockpot because if your pot isn’t large enough to handle all of the food then it’s just not going to cook correctly. xx

  3. Hey! I am so excited to make this for my Fiance’s birthday. What do you do with the roasted garlic when it is done cooking? Thanks!

    1. Hey Caroline,
      You can serve the garlic or just serve around it, totally up to you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx

  4. Couldn’t find apple cider in store so I went with sprinkling apple cider. Just put my dish in the oven. Is my dish doomed?

    1. Hi Tess,
      I would go ahead and use gluten free flour:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx

    1. Hey Melissa,
      Happy Monday!!⛄️ Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! xT

  5. I made this and it came out good but it’s a little sour. How can I get rid of the sour apple cider taste from the meat and sauce? Thank you.

    1. Hi Marina,
      Thanks for giving this recipe a try, sorry about the sour taste, did you by chance you apple cider vinegar? Let me know how I can help! xx

      1. Wow, yes i did! I just automatically assumed it was apple cider vinegar. Well, there is the culprit. In the future, anything i can do to cut the taste of sour when i do make a mistake like this? Thank you for your reply. Marina

  6. Wellllllllllllll, ding dong me started making this before realizing we don’t have any ACV. What the actual … 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
    I subbed regular white vinegar and white wine vinegar for it. Also did half chicken broth/white wine as the additional liquid. Dear adorable Teaghan, tell me it will still be okay?! 😝

    I must say, it smells as good as it did the others time I made it.

    1. Hey Christina,
      Unfortunately, I hate to break it to you, but this recipe doesn’t call for ACV, it’s just regular apple cider:) I hope this turns out okay for you! Let me know if I can help in any other way! xx

      1. OMG! I am a complete idiot. I’ve even made this before, wow. Well …. It still turned out pretty tasty! Just the carrots were a little funky, and now I know why. lol

  7. 5 stars
    This was the first recipe we made from HBH, and it’s what got us addicted to her recipes and style of cooking. We love that she uses natural/whole ingredients and not trying to follow some specific diet plan. Most spices or ingredients or something we already have on hand or are easy to find an readily available.

    This dish is a little more time consuming to make, but well worth it. The meat is so tender and just falls right off the bone. If you’re having friends over and want to impress them with a gourmet meal, I highly suggest this.

    1. Sorry for all the typos, I’m using voice to text and my kids are also speaking in the background.

    2. Hey Elizabeth,
      Happy Sunday!!❄️ I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for trying it out and sharing your feedback! xx

    1. Hey Avery,
      I would reduce the oven to 250F if you plan to let it simmer for 5 or more hours. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx

      1. It’s in the oven now! It smells unreal already and it’s only been an hour! Can’t wait, thanks for your help!

  8. So excited to try this recipe today! I purchased boneless short ribs. How many pounds would that be equivalent to? I have just shy of 6 lbs boneless short ribs. Thanks 😊

    1. Hi Kelly,
      I think that should be just fine for you to do! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx

    1. Hey Taylor,
      It depends how they are cut…are they in the classic rib cut? Or are they thick like a short rib? A classic rib is not going to be the best option for this recipe. Let me know! xT