Tender fall-off-the-bone slow cooked short rib, fresh apple slices, melty shredded cheese and buttery sourdough. Then we’ll use the cooking liquid from the short ribs to create a red wine apple cider au jus. This short rib grilled cheese is so cozy and comforting and requires little work. The slow cooker will do most of the work for you, then it’s just a matter of assembling it all together and pan frying your beautiful grilled cheese.
Why I prefer sourdough bread for this short rib grilled cheese
Sourdough is a type of fermented bread that comes with a host of benefits when compared to traditional bread.
- It decreases antinutrients like phytic acid. Phytic acid blocks absorption of iron, zinc and calcium. Sourdough has the most bioavailable nutrients.
- It lowers the glycemic load of the bread, meaning no blood sugar spike. While other breads have a high GL of 71, sourdough has a GL of 54 – same as a sweet potato.
- It degrades the gluten in the bread. Some (not all) people with gluten sensitivities can eat sourdough without issues.
Kitchen essentials
- A slow cooker
- Measuring cups/spoons
- A mixing bowl
- A cutting board
- A knife
- A large griddle or fry pan. I used my Made In stainless steel pan that I love.
- A spatula
- A small saucepan
- A fine mesh strainer
Substitutions
- Bone-in short rib: you can also opt for boneless short rib. If using boneless, you generally need about 20% less meat in weight (to account for the absence of the weight of the bones). However I prefer, bone-in because it tends to give a more tender end result. You could also use a chuck roast for this recipe.
- Avocado oil: can be substituted for another high heat cooking fat like tallow, lard or ghee.
- Fontina cheese: I like fontina because it melts well. Other melty cheese are cheddar, gouda and brie.
Some of my other favorite Winter dishes
Slow Cooker Short Rib Grilled Cheese with Apple Cider Au Jus
Course: Main DishesDifficulty: Easy4
20
8
hours10
8
hours30
minutesIngredients
- Short rib grilled cheese
1 shallot, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 sprigs of rosemary
1/2 cup worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 1/2 cups beef broth
2 tbsp avocado oil
3 lbs. bone-in short rib
1 cup red wine
2 cups shredded fontina cheese
1 green apple, thinly sliced
8 slices sourdough
Butter for frying
- Apple Cider Au Jus
1/4 cup red wine
1 cup apple cider
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup cooking liquid from the slow cooker, strained
Directions
- Add the herbs and aromatics to the slow cooker. This includes the shallot, garlic and fresh rosemary. In a mixing bowl, combine the worcestershire sauce, tomato paste and beef broth. Set aside.
- Prepare the short ribs. Generously season the short ribs with salt on all sides. For best results, salt up to a day in advance. In a large pan on medium-high heat, add the avocado oil. Quickly sear the short ribs on all sides until a brown crust forms – just a couple minutes per side. Transfer the ribs to the slow cooker and drain the fat from the pan. While the pan is still hot, add the red wine and use a spatula to scrape up any brown bits. Add both the red wine and the brown bits to the slow cooker (this whole part can be skipped if you’re short on time, but it does give the meat more flavor). Then add the contents of the mixing bowl to the slow cooker. Cover and cook for 8-10 hours. I prefer 10 hours for that perfect, fall-off-the-bone meat.
- Shred the short rib. Use 2 forks to separate the meat from the bone and the visible fat. If it’s cooked long enough, the meat will fall of the bone with ease. Place the meat in a bowl and set aside.
- Make the au jus by simply adding all the ingredients to a small saucepan on medium-low heat. We want to keep the au jus hot to prevent the fat from solidifying.
- Assemble the grilled cheeses. Apply a thin layer of butter to one side of each slice of bread. Place the bread butter-side down. Add roughly 1/4 cup cheese to a slice of bread, then layer with short rib meat, a layer of apple slices, and another 1/4 cup cheese. Top with the second slice of bread, now butter-side up. Cook the grilled cheese in a fry pan or griddle on medium-low heat for a few minutes on each side. The cheese should look melted and the bread golden brown. Repeat the process with the remainder of the ingredients.
- Enjoy! Cut the grilled cheeses in half and serve with a small bowl of au jus for dipping.
Notes
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Nutrition Facts
4 servings per container
Serving Size1 grilled cheese
Calories1068
- Amount Per Serving% Daily Value *
- Total Fat
59.4g
92%
- Saturated Fat 24.9g 125%
- Trans Fat 2.0g
- Cholesterol 227.6mg 76%
- Amount Per Serving% Daily Value *
- Total Carbohydrate
51.2g
18%
- Dietary Fiber 2.0g 8%
- Sugars 14.8g
- Protein 69.2g 139%
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
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