Toss raw bone-in beef short ribs in the slow cooker and 3 other ingredients to get a meal so delicious your friends will be begging for more!

This 4-ingredient slow cooker beef short rib recipe is the kind of set-it-and-forget-it comfort food that makes a weeknight feel special. You start with raw bone-in beef short ribs, nestle them into the slow cooker, and pour over a deeply savory, slightly sweet sauce that tastes like it simmered all day on the stove—because it did, just without your supervision. Short ribs are beloved in many cuisines, from Korean galbi-jjim to French braises, for their rich marbling and flavor that melts into the sauce. Here, we strip things down to the essentials so you get all that restaurant-level depth with almost no effort.

Serve these fall-apart short ribs spooned over creamy mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or a simple garlic rice to soak up every bit of the dark, glossy sauce. A crisp green salad or steamed green beans with a squeeze of lemon helps balance the richness. If you like, offer crusty bread on the side for dipping and a bold red wine or sparkling water with a slice of citrus to cut through the hearty beef.

Servings: 4

3 to 3 1/2 pounds raw bone-in beef short ribs

Pat the raw bone-in beef short ribs dry with paper towels to help them brown in flavor as they cook, even without searing. Trim off any large, hard pieces of surface fat if you see them, but leave most of the fat and all of the bones in place for flavor.

Arrange the raw bone-in beef short ribs in a single layer on the bottom of the slow cooker, meaty side down as much as possible. It is fine if they fit snugly; just avoid stacking them too high so they cook evenly. At this point, they should look like a tight layer of raw ribs ready to be covered in a dark sauce.

In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the beef broth, soy sauce, and brown sugar until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture looks like a smooth, dark, glossy sauce.

Pour the dark sauce evenly over the raw short ribs in the slow cooker, making sure all the meat is at least lightly coated. The ribs do not need to be fully submerged; they will release juices as they cook and create more sauce.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef short ribs are very tender and easily pull away from the bone with a fork. Avoid lifting the lid frequently, as that extends cooking time.

Once the ribs are tender, use a spoon to skim off some of the excess fat that has risen to the top of the sauce. Carefully transfer the short ribs to a serving dish, keeping the bones attached if possible.

If you prefer a slightly thicker sauce, ladle 1 1/2 to 2 cups of the cooking liquid into a small saucepan and simmer it on the stovetop over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until it reduces and lightly coats the back of a spoon. Spoon the reduced dark sauce back over the short ribs.

Taste the sauce and adjust if needed: add a splash of water if it is too salty, or a teaspoon or two more brown sugar if you prefer a sweeter glaze. Serve the short ribs hot, generously drizzled with the dark, rich sauce from the slow cooker.

For a subtle aromatic twist without adding more ingredients, tuck the short ribs into the slow cooker so that the bones and fat cap are on the bottom—this helps self-baste the meat and gives the sauce a more roasted flavor as the fat renders. If you want a gentle heat, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes (this would be a fifth ingredient, so keep that in mind if you are strictly following the 4-ingredient idea). A splash of rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar at the end can brighten the sauce if you find it too rich. To keep the sodium in check, choose low-sodium broth and soy sauce, and taste before adding any extra salt at the table. For a leaner finished dish, cook the ribs ahead of time, chill the entire crock of sauce and meat, and then lift off the solidified fat before reheating; this works well for make-ahead entertaining. You can also remove the bones after cooking and gently shred the meat into the sauce for sandwiches or tacos. Food safety tips: Always start with fully thawed short ribs; cooking large, frozen pieces in a slow cooker can keep them in the temperature danger zone (40°F to 140°F) for too long. Keep the lid on the slow cooker as much as possible, and cook on LOW or HIGH as directed until the meat is fork-tender and the internal temperature reaches at least 190°F for that classic short-rib texture. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking, store them in shallow containers, and reheat thoroughly to at least 165°F before serving.