Description
A deeply savory, fall‑apart‑tender beef ragu made from slow‑cooked short ribs in a rich tomato‑red wine sauce—ultimate comfort food perfect for serving over pasta, polenta, or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
- 3–4 lbs bone‑in beef short ribs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 (28‑oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 cup beef stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 2–3 sprigs fresh thyme
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Pat ribs dry and season with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium‑high. Sear ribs until deeply browned on all sides; transfer to a plate.
- Add onion, carrot, and celery to the pot. Sauté until soft and golden, scraping up browned bits. Stir in garlic and tomato paste, cooking 1–2 minutes.*
- Pour in red wine, deglazing and simmering until reduced by half.
- Add crushed tomatoes, beef stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Nestle ribs into the sauce, ensuring they’re mostly submerged.
- Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on lowest heat 3–4 hours (or transfer to a slow cooker on low for 7–8 hours) until meat is fork‑tender.
- Remove ribs, shred meat, discarding bones and excess fat. Return meat to the pot, season to taste, and simmer a few more minutes.
- Serve hot over pappardelle, polenta, or mashed potatoes, garnished with Parmesan, parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
- * Browning the tomato paste before deglazing deepens its flavor—don’t skip it.
- For quicker prep, after searing, everything can go into a slow cooker.
- Make‑ahead: the ragu develops even richer flavor after a day; it also freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.
