Pat short ribs dry and season on all sides with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper.

Combine flour with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper and stir together. Dredge each piece to lightly coat with flour on all sides.

In a heavy-bottomed skillet, heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown ribs in batches, transferring with tongs to a bowl of crockpot. Sprinkle with thyme and additional fresh chopped garlic, if desired.

Add chopped onions and celery to pan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until golden. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine, broth, Worcestershire sauce, deglazing the pan and bring to a boil. Pour over ribs in crockpot.

Add pearl onions and carrots, stirring and pushing down to make sure they are covered by liquid.

Set crockpot on low for 6 to 8 hours.

*If you want to thicken the juices before serving, remove meat and vegetables to a plate and pour off juice (you may strain, if you’d like) into a large skillet and bring to a boil, reducing to the desired consistency. Reduce heat and return meat and vegetables to the pan and continue cooking for a couple of minutes until meat is heated through.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Pat short ribs dry and season on all sides with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper.

Combine flour with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper and stir together. Dredge each piece to lightly coat with flour on all sides.

In a Dutch oven, heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown ribs in batches, transferring with tongs to a bowl.

Add chopped onions and celery to pan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until golden. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine, broth, Worcestershire sauce, and bring to a boil. Add ribs including any juices that have accumulated in bowl. Add pearl onions and carrots, stirring and pushing down to make sure they are covered by liquid.

Cover Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid or foil and place in preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours, or until meat is tender. Transfer meat, pearl onions, and carrots with a slotted spoon to a large bowl or platter.

Boil braising liquid, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced. Return meat and vegetables to pot and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.