Braised Short Rib Ragu
This ragu is made with slow cooked short ribs braised in a tomato sauce full of flavor - red wine, fresh herbs and vegetables and a quality parmesan cheese make this the perfect comfort meal to try for your next Sunday dinner.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 6 1-cup servings
Ingredients
1 lb. boneless short ribs (you can use bone-in if you’d like; the meat ratio in the sauce will be lower)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
1 1/2 cups carrots, finely diced
1 cup celery, finely diced
4 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 28-oz. can peeled San Marzano tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
5-6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 cups low-sodium/no salt added beef bone broth or stock
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 lb. paradelle pasta
Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-low heat for a few minutes. While Dutch oven is heating, liberally salt and pepper all sides of your short ribs. Sear short ribs on each side for 2 minutes, then set aside.
Turn heat down to low and add mirepoix (onion, celery and carrots) to the pot and cook down for 5-7 minutes until veggies have softened and onions are translucent. Add tomato paste and garlic and cook for a couple of minutes until paste has begun to brown and garlic is fragrant. Add red wine and scrape along the bottom to deglaze the pan.
Place short ribs back into the Dutch oven on top of the sauteed veggie mixture then add the can of San Marzano tomatoes; fill the empty can with about 1 cup of water and swirl to get all of the sauce from the can and pour water into the pot. Then add the broth, salt, pepper, bay leaves and fresh herbs (tie the rosemary and thyme together in a bundle with kitchen string, if you have it on hand).
Place lid on Dutch oven and simmer on low for 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn’t burn. You’ll know it’s done when the short ribs pull apart easily and sauce has reduced down and thickened.
Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves and herb bundle, then take the short ribs out and pull apart on a plate, discarding excess fat (you may want to skim the fat off the surface of the sauce as well depending on how much fat was on the ribs). Add the shredded meat back to the sauce and stir well. Add a 1/4 cup of heavy cream and stir again until fully incorporated.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, then cook paradelle according to directions on package; usually only takes 5 minutes or so to cook.
Drain the pasta then add to the pot with the sauce, stir well to coat the noodles. Plate a serving, top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley, then enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
You can also make this dish in the oven if you prefer, just place the Dutch oven on the lowest rack with the lid on at 300 °F for 2 ½ - 3 hours.
I like to use grass-fed beef bone broth for the health benefits but any beef broth or stock will do.
I highly recommend using fresh thyme and rosemary but if you don’t have any on hand, substitute for 1 teaspoon each of dried thyme and rosemary.
If you feel like splurging a bit on the cheese, I also like to finish this dish with a tablespoon of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano, it adds a deeper depth of flavor than parmesan and pairs really nicely with the sauce.
Nutrition Facts (per 1 cup serving)
Estimates. Will vary based on ingredients and serving size
Calories: ~650 kcal
Protein: ~30 g
Total Fat: ~30 g
Carbohydrates: ~50 g