Every March, my dad makes these Irish stout beef short ribs for our little at-home “tavern night,” and they’ve become a non-negotiable tradition. The magic is that they taste like something you slow-braised all day in a pub kitchen, but they only use four ingredients and the slow cooker does all the work. The stout reduces down into a glossy, dark gravy that clings to the fall-off-the-bone ribs, and the onion soup mix brings that cozy, old-school tavern flavor without any fuss. It’s the kind of set-it-and-forget-it comfort food that fits perfectly into a busy workday, but still feels special enough for a St. Patrick’s Day feast or a cozy weekend dinner.
Serve these short ribs right in the slow cooker, spooning the thick, stouty pan juices over everything. They’re perfect piled on top of creamy mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or simple boiled red potatoes tossed with parsley. Add a side of roasted carrots or steamed green beans to cut through the richness, and some crusty bread to swipe through the sauce. If you like a drink pairing, pour the same Irish stout you cooked with, or go with a simple red wine. Leftovers are amazing shredded over mashed potatoes or turned into an open-faced sandwich the next day.
Slow Cooker 4-Ingredient Irish Stout Beef Short RibsServings: 4
Ingredients
4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs, trimmed of excess surface fat
1 packet (1 ounce) dry onion soup mix
1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 bottle (11–12 ounces) Irish stout beer (such as Guinness)
Directions
Pat the beef short ribs dry with paper towels and trim any thick, hard pieces of surface fat so the sauce doesn’t get too greasy. No need to be perfect here—just a quick tidy-up.
Place the short ribs in the bottom of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker in an even layer, meaty side facing up as much as possible.
Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly over the ribs, making sure to cover as much of the surface as you can.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the condensed cream of mushroom soup and the Irish stout until mostly smooth. It will be foamy at first; that’s fine.
Pour the stout and soup mixture evenly over the ribs, nudging the ribs a bit with a spoon so the sauce can settle around them. The ribs don’t need to be fully submerged; they’ll release juices as they cook.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the short ribs are very tender and easily pull away from the bone with a fork.
Once cooked, tilt the slow cooker insert slightly with a spoon or ladle and skim off any excess fat from the surface of the sauce. Gently stir the sauce to combine the juices and thickened stout reduction.
Carefully remove the ribs to a serving platter or leave them nestled in the slow cooker. Spoon some of the thick, glossy stout gravy over the top. The meat should be falling apart and pulling away from the bones.
Serve the short ribs hot with plenty of the stout gravy spooned over each portion. Store any leftovers, including the sauce, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Variations & Tips
If you like a little extra richness, you can quickly brown the short ribs in a hot skillet with a splash of oil before adding them to the slow cooker—this isn’t required, but it deepens the flavor and gives more color. For a slightly thicker gravy, transfer a cup of the hot cooking liquid to a bowl at the end, whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch until smooth, then stir it back into the slow cooker and let it bubble on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes. If you’re not a fan of mushrooms, you can swap the cream of mushroom soup for cream of celery or cream of onion soup while still keeping the four-ingredient rule. To stretch the meal for more people, tuck thick-cut carrots and halved baby potatoes around the ribs before pouring in the sauce; just know this technically adds ingredients beyond the core four. For meal prep, cook the ribs the day before, chill them in their sauce, then skim the hardened fat from the top and reheat in the slow cooker or oven—the flavor actually improves overnight, and it’s an easy way to entertain without cooking the day of.
