Slow-Cooker Short-Rib Goulash

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

• tip 1
  Short ribs typically come in one of two forms, English cut or flanken. With the English cut, the ribs are cut parallel to the bone, with one bone per thick piece of short rib. They tend to hold their shape even after a long braise and make an impressive presentation. With the flanken cut, ribs are cut across the bone into 1/2-inch or so slices. Each piece has three to four short sections of bone with a generous portion of meat around them. The cooked ribs should fall off the bone in tender pieces. This recipe calls for English-cut short ribs. Look for ribs that are all about 3- to 4-inches thick. Ribs of different thicknesses will not cook in the same amount of time.
• tip 2
  Beef short ribs contain lots of fat and connective tissue, which adds loads of beefy flavor and makes them ideal for this recipe. The extra-long cook time allows the connective tissue to break down and turn meltingly tender.
• tip 3
  If you thought paprika was only for adding a sprinkle of color to the top of your potato salad or deviled eggs, think again—paprika has flavor. In fact, more than one. Sweet paprika has a mild red pepper flavor. Hot paprika adds some heat to that flavor and smoked paprika adds a smoky undertone.
• tip 4
  Short ribs release a lot of fat during the long cooking process. After you remove the cooked ribs from the slow cooker, it’s easy to skim that fat off using a large spoon or ladle. To make this process extra easy, make the dish the day before, transfer ribs to a baking dish and sauce to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or up to 2 days. When ready to serve, the fat will have hardened and removing it will be a simple matter of skimming it off with a spoon. To reheat ribs, place meaty side down in a 5-quart Dutch oven with sauce; cover, and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through—20 to 25 minutes.