Description
A rich and hearty Short Rib Ragu featuring tender, slow-simmered beef short ribs in a flavorful tomato and red wine sauce, perfect for serving with thick pasta like pappardelle or tagliatelle. This comforting dish is ideal for cozy dinners and impresses with its deep, robust flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 2 lbs beef short ribs – de-boned, cut into 2″ cubes
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 cup white onion – finely diced
- ½ cup celery – finely diced
- ½ cup carrot – finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves – finely minced
Liquids & Sauces
- 2 tablespoon light olive oil (or vegetable or avocado oil)
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 cup broth – beef or chicken
- 1 ¾ cup crushed tomatoes – 14 oz can
- 2 tablespoon sherry or red wine vinegar
Herbs & Seasonings
- Herb bundle – rosemary, thyme, parsley stems
- 2 bay leaves
- Kosher salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper
Pasta & Garnish
- 1 lb pasta – tagliatelle or pappardelle
- Chopped parsley for garnish
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano for garnish
Instructions
- Season the short ribs: Generously season the beef short ribs on all sides with kosher salt to enhance flavor before cooking.
- Sear the short ribs: Heat 2 tablespoons of light olive oil in a large braiser or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the short ribs in batches to avoid crowding and sear on all sides until browned. Remove the ribs and set aside. Drain excess grease if necessary, leaving no more than 2 tablespoons in the pot.
- Sauté vegetables: Add diced onion, celery, carrot, and minced garlic to the same pot. Sauté over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes until the onions soften and the mixture becomes fragrant.
- Add tomato paste and seasoning: Stir in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste along with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes to deepen the flavors.
- Deglaze with wine: Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom to incorporate their flavor into the sauce.
- Combine ingredients for simmering: Return the seared short ribs to the pot, then add the broth and crushed tomatoes. Toss in the herb bundle and bay leaves.
- Simmer the ragu: Bring to a low simmer, cover the pot leaving the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape, and cook for 2 to 2 ½ hours until the ribs are fork tender. Monitor occasionally and add broth or water if needed to keep the sauce from drying out. If ribs are not tender by 2 ½ hours, continue simmering for up to 30 more minutes.
- Shred the meat and finish sauce: Remove and discard the bay leaves and herb bundle. If using boneless ribs, shred the meat in the pot with forks; if bone-in, carefully remove bones before shredding. Taste and adjust seasoning, then stir in the sherry or red wine vinegar. If the sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered for an additional 15 to 30 minutes until desired consistency is reached.
- Cook pasta and serve: Prepare your choice of pasta according to package instructions. Serve the ragu over the pasta and garnish with chopped parsley and grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Notes
- Using de-boned short ribs cut English style into cubes is preferred for convenience, but bone-in short ribs add more depth of flavor.
- Stewing beef cubes can be used as a more affordable substitute with good results.
- This ragu is versatile: enjoy it with pasta, polenta, as ravioli filling, layered in lasagna, alongside roasted vegetables, or even atop hummus.
- Recommended pastas are thicker, hearty shapes such as pappardelle, tagliatelle, orecchiette, rigatoni, or cavatelli to hold the robust sauce well.
- Adjust the cooking liquid as needed during simmering to prevent the sauce from drying out.
- The cartilage around bones can be removed if not desired after shredding the meat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
