Slowly Simmered Italian Comfort Food – Braised Short Rib Ragu!
As a serious Italian food lover, ragu is one of my all-time favorite things to cook. I first fell head-over-heels for it in my days working as a server at a fine dining Italian restaurant in Milwaukee. My favorite thing on the menu was our ragu della casa, which was always tossed into hand-cut pappardelle. I loved it so much that I begged our chefs to walk me through the basic steps so I could try to recreate it at home. Here we are, 10+ years later, and I still can’t get enough of it – in fact, I’d probably consider ragu to be one of my specialties!
this Recipe for Later!
Over the years we’ve shared a number of different well-loved ragu recipes here on PWWB, but today’s is probably my favorite. As far as I’m concerned, Braised Beef Short Rib Ragu is the ultimate ragu!
Rich and hearty beef short ribs slowly braise with simple vegetables, loads of aromatics and fresh herbs, tomatoes, and a little bit of red wine for good measure. The short ribs transform into fall-apart tender, melt-in-your-mouth goodness, infusing the tomatoes with richness as they slowly cook. It’s a delightfully hands-off process that results in the most special home-cooked sauce perfect for tossing into a pile of pappardelle pasta with loads of parmesan.
Easy enough for a cozy weekend dinner at home, and special enough for date night, Christmas or Valentine’s Day – comfort food doesn’t get any better than that!
4.9 from 41 reviews
Featured Review
This was seriously amazing. Crazy easy to make and I could drink the sauce. Thank you for an easy and delicious dish!!! Test drive was today – will be serving for the holidays for sure. I’ve made a lot of short ribs but the flavor on this recipe was insane!
Lori
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First Thing’s First – What is Ragu?
Ragu is a term used to describe a rich, slowly simmered Italian meat sauce traditionally served with pasta, gnocchi, or polenta. (I’m willing to bet you’re already familiar with one of the most famous ragu sauces, Ragu alla Bolognese!) Since ragu is meant to showcase a specific meat, it’s a bit more stew-like than other famous Italian pasta sauces like marinara.
You can prepare ragu sauce using many types of meat (or meaty vegetables, like mushrooms), creating anything from Sweet and Spicy Italian Sausage Ragu to Tender Shredded Chicken Ragu. The common thread is that ragu is always super hearty with rich, bold flavor.
If you’ve never made ragu before, you’re in great hands! Ever since my restaurant days, I’ve cooked up 10+ years of experience making this dish and have plenty of tips and tricks to help you along the way. Read on to learn more about how to make this Slowly Braised Short Rib Ragu, or jump straight to the recipeand get cooking!
Key Ingredients
Like the best Italian dishes, this short rib ragu recipe is all about coaxing big, bold flavor out of relatively humble ingredients. While a quick glance at the Ingredients list may look long, it’s made up of mostly simple staples that you probably keep stocked in your pantry and fridge.
Ingredient Spotlight
Beef Short Ribs
If beef short ribs are a new-to-you ingredient, you’re in for such a treat!
There are 2 common cuts of beef short ribs:flanken beef short ribs (long strips cut across the bone) and English-cut beef short ribs (hearty pieces cut along the bone, like in our Beef Stroganoff here). While flanken short ribs are great for quick-cooking methods, like grilling (you may recognize them from Korean kalbi), English-cut short ribs are a tougher cut. They benefit from cooking low and slow, which breaks down all of the connective tissue in the meat and makes the beef totally fall-apart tender. As such, you’ll often see them in braised dishes, like this beef short rib ragu!
Where to buy short ribs? ⇢ You can find English-cut beef short ribs at most conventional grocery stores with a nice butcher section. Be sure to look for meaty short ribs with nice marbling for maximum flavor.
Can’t find beef short ribs? ⇢ If you have trouble finding beef short ribs, you can make this ragu recipe using beef chuck roast.
Other key ingredients…
- Soffritto– The Italian holy trinity ofonion,carrot, andcelery.I like chopping my soffritto by hand for bigger, chunkier pieces of veggies in my ragu sauce, but you can also grate the veggies in afood processorto cut down on active prep time.
- Aromatics – A generous amount of aromatics helps build a boldly flavored sauce. This short rib ragu recipe calls for tons of garlic and loads of fresh herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme. The secret ingredient, though, is a parmesan rind, which is a great freezer staple for fall and winter cooking since you can use it to infuse sauces and soups with rich umami flavor.
- Tomatoes – The perfect combination ofpetite diced San Marzano-style tomatoes, which add flavor and body to the short rib ragu, andtomato pastefor its concentrated flavor. DeLallo’s tomato paste tube is my absolute favorite. It’s double concentrated, packing an even bigger punch of flavor.
- Wine – Aboldred wine stands up to the rich flavor of the beef short ribs. I always like cooking with Italian wine when I make ragu – Chianti is a great option for this recipe.
How to Make Braised Short Rib Ragu
Cooking this braised short rib ragu is a pretty straightforward process consisting of 3 main steps:browning,deglazing, andsimmering. The process is time-intensive, since the goal is to tenderize a tough cut of meat and pull big flavors out of relatively simple ingredients, but it’s almost entirely hands off!
1
First, sear the short ribs. Coat a large, heavy-bottomed pot with olive oil. While the oil heats, pat the short ribs completely dry with paper towels, and season them really well with salt and ground black pepper. Once the oil is hot, add the short ribs to the pot and cook them a few minutes per side, until they’re deeply golden brown. Why take the time to brown short ribs? ⇢ In short? Flavor, flavor, flavor! Thanks to the Maillard reaction, the short ribs take on a beautifully golden crust when they come into contact with the hot surface of the pan, giving the meat itself deeper, richer flavor. Plus, as the short ribs brown, they leaves browned bits on the bottom of the pan (fondbeing the technical French term), which is what creates the base flavor of the braised ragu. Browning creates the base flavor upon which the rest of the short rib ragu is built, so it’s incredibly important to take the time to sear the short ribs well.
2
Next, brown the soffritto and aromatics. Add the soffritto veggies – carrots, celery, and onion – to the same pot used to brown the short ribs. Cook until deeply browned – borderline caramelized! Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and continue to cook another 5 minutes, until deeply fragrant. In total, this process should take no less than 20-25 minutes – we’re after deep color & flavor, here!
Why cook the aromatics so long? ⇢ Many of the ragu and bolognese recipes I’ve read over the years call for simply softening the aromatics, and I couldn’t disagree with that more! These aromatic ingredients provide the base of flavor for the entire sauce. Taking the time to ensure you achieve deep browning serves two purposes. First, it coaxes out all of their flavor, adding so much more flavor to the short rib ragu. Second, similar to the browned short ribs, the soffritto and tomato paste leave browned bits on the bottom of the pot (fondbeing the technical French term), which translates to big flavor in the braising liquid. Take your time and resist the urge to speed this step up – the results are worth it!
3
Deglaze and build the short rib ragu sauce. Deglaze the pot by sloooooowly pouring in the red wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits developed on the bottom of the pan by browning the short ribs and soffritto. Why? ⇢ The wine simmers immediately upon hitting the hot pot, creating steam that releases the browned bits that developed on the bottom. Again, this fond is where all of the flavor is, so you want to scrape it up to incorporate it into the short rib sauce. Build the beef short rib ragu sauce, adding in the remaining ingredients: fresh herbs, bay leaves, the parmesan rind, tomatoes, and a little beef stock!
Quick Braising Tip! ⇢ Rather than taking the time to chop all the herbs, use kitchen twine to tie them together whole. The herbs infuse all of their flavor into the braised short rib ragu and the twine makes it easy to remove them all at once before serving.
4
Slowly braise the beef ragu sauce. Now for the fun part – letting the sauce simmer! Nestle the browned short ribs into the braising liquid, bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover the pot and let it cook until the short ribs are fall-apart tender – your kitchen will smell like absolute Italian comfort food heaven. How long to braise short rib ragu? ⇢ Have patience – braising short ribs takes a good amount of time! Because they come from such a hard-working part of the cattle – just behind the shoulder – it will take a while to break down all of the connective tissue and tenderize the meat. Plan for a solid 2 1/2 – 3 hours. You’ll know the short ribs are ready when they fall apart and shred very easily.
Alternate Cooking Methods
Based on the amount of time you have or how hands-on you’d like the cooking process to be, you can easily adapt this braised short rib ragu for a couple of different cooking methods. Check the Recipe Notes, below, for step-by-step guidance on cooking your ragu in the oven, slow cooker, or Instant Pot.
Serving Suggestions
Once the ragu sauce is simmered to perfection and the beef short ribs are fall-apart tender, it’s time for the best part of making short rib ragu at home – serving it!
Best pasta for short rib ragu? ⇢ I love tossing together braised short rib ragu with pappardelle, a traditional wide-cut egg pasta. If you prefer short pasta, choose a shape that will capture bits and pieces of the hearty beef short rib ragu for even more delicious bites of pasta. Rigatoni is my all-time favorite, though orecchiette, shellbows, or casarecce with short rib ragu are also great!
Other ideas. ⇢ For the ultimate comfort food meal, serve the ragu over creamy polenta or make short rib ragu gnocchi!
How to Make Short Rib Ragu Pasta
The #1 mistake I see home cooks make when preparing a pasta dish is simply plopping a spoonful of sausage ragu sauce on a plate of cooked pasta. Please don’t do this! For restaurant-worthy results, always simmer your al dente pasta with the ragu sauce before serving. To learn more, check out my complete guide for How to Cook Pasta Perfectly Every Single Time.
1
Boil the pasta. Cook your pasta to al dente in generously salted water. Before draining, carefully dip a liquid measuring cup into the pot to reserve some of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta, but do NOT rinse it.Why? ⇢ Rinsing washes the starches off the surface of the pasta, preventing it from absorbing and clinging to the braised short rib ragu sauce.
2
Finish the short rib ragu sauce. Meanwhile, stir a little bit of heavy cream and grated parmesan into the ragu. Simmer 1-2 minutes, allowing everything to meld together.Why? ⇢ Cream adds beautiful richness to the ragu. Grated parmesan adds extra flavor and helps tighten up the sauce.
3
Simmer with pasta. Add the cooked pasta straight into the simmering ragu, tossing to combine well. Adjust as needed so the ragu coats the pasta evenly. If it’s too thick, toss in some of the reserved pasta water; if the mixture is too loose, toss in an extra handful of parmesan. Cook for a couple minutes more, allowing the pasta to meld with and absorb some of the sauce.
Make Ahead, Storage, and Freezing
Short rib ragu stores super well — in fact, its flavors develop and get even better the longer it sits! Feel free to prep a batch of sauce ahead of time. It will keep in therefrigerator for up to 5 daysor in thefreezer for up to 3 months. Check the Recipe Notes, below, for step-by-step guidance!
I cannot wait for you to try this Short Rib Ragu! It’s total and complete comfort food, and I know you’ll love it as much as we do!
If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutteronInstagram. I LOVE hearing about and seeing your PWWB creations! Happy cooking! ♡
Slowly Braised Beef Short Rib Ragu
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 41 reviews
- Author: Jess Larson
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: serves 10–12 1x
- Category: Pasta Recipes, Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop, Braise
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Beef short ribs slowly braise until fall-apart tender with simple vegetables, fresh herbs, tomatoes, and red wine, creating a hearty, and boldly flavored ragu. Toss it into pappardelle or any pasta you love or serve it atop polenta or gnocchi. Slowly Braised Short Rib Ragu is the ultimate Italian comfort food meal!
Check the Recipe Notes, below, for Oven-Braised, Slow Cooker and Instant Pot directions, as well as make-ahead and freezing instructions.
Ingredients
Scale
for the Slowly Braised Short Rib Ragu sauce:
- 4 pounds English cutbeef short ribs
- 3 tablespoonsolive oil, divided
- 3largecarrots, peeled and diced
- 1largeyellow onion, finely diced
- 1stalkcelery, finely diced
- 8clovesgarlic, finely chopped or grated
- 6 ouncestomato paste
- 1 cupdryred wine
- one(1) 0.75-ounce packagefresh “poultry herb blend”(or approx.2sprigs fresh rosemary,4 sprigs fresh sage leaves and 12sprigs fresh thyme)
- 2bay leaves
- optional: 1 parmesan rind
- 14 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth/stock or water
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
for Short Rib Ragu pasta:
- 24 ounces pappardelle or pasta of choice, such as casarecce, bucatini, or gnocchi
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- for serving, as desired: gratedparmesan, finely choppedfresh herbs, etc.
Instructions
Braised Short Rib Ragu Sauce:
- Brown the short ribs: Add the olive oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot (I use a 5-qt Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Use paper towel to pat the surface of the beef short ribs as dry as possible. Generously season the short ribs with 1 heaping tablespoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Once the oil in the pot is shimmering hot, carefully add in the seasoned short ribs. Work in batches, as necessary, to avoid overcrowding the pot (which prevents browning). Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until nicely browned. Transfer the browned short ribs to a plate and set aside. Repeat, as necessary, with the remaining short ribs. Once all of the short ribs are browned, carefully drain off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from the pot. Set aside and discard once cooled. Returning the pot to medium heat.
- Brown the soffritto:Add the soffritto (carrots, onion, and celery) to the same pot used to brown the short ribs, seasoning with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the soffritto is deeply browned, 15-20 minutes.
- Add aromatics.Add the garlic to the pot with the soffritto. Stirring constantly, cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato paste to the pot, stirring to coat the soffritto. Cook 2-3 minutes, until browned.
- Deglaze:Increasing the heat to medium-high, pour the red wine into the pot. Stir constantly, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits that may have formed at the bottom of the pot. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the wine is almost completely absorbed into the soffritto.
- Build and simmer the short rib ragu: Tie the herbs together using kitchen twine (or finely chop if you do not have twine), then add to the pot with the bay leaves and parmesan rind (if using). Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth/stock (or water), and browned short ribs from Step 1. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 1/2 – 3 hours, or until the short ribs are fall-apart tender. If the ragu begins to reduce too much (i.e. it loses too much of its liquid too quickly), feel free to add in a splash more water and/or reduce the heat further.
- Finish the braised short rib ragu: Carefully transfer the short ribs to a plate or cutting board. At this point, you can remove and discard the spent herbs, bay leaves, and parmesan rind from the pot, as well. Use tongs or 2 forks to shred the short ribs into bite-sized pieces, discarding the bones as you go. Return the shredded short ribs to the pot with the ragu. Stir to combine. At this point, you can cool and store for later use (see Recipe Notes for storage and freezing directions), or proceed with making the short rib ragu pasta (below).
Short Rib Ragu Pasta:
- Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked to al dente according to package directions. Carefully dip a liquid measuring cup into the pot, reserving about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, and set aside. Carefully drain the pasta – do NOT rinse it!
- Finish the short rib ragu sauce: Meanwhile, as the pasta boils, bring the braised short rib ragu up to a simmer. Stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Continue to simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Short rib ragu pappardelle: Add the cooked pasta to the pot with the braised short rib ragu sauce, tossing to coat. The short rib ragu should evenly coat the pasta. Add in some of the reserved pasta water if the ragu needs to loosen up a little; add in an extra handful of parmesan if it needs to tighten up a little. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, allowing the pasta to meld with and absorb some of the ragu.
- Serve:Portion the short rib ragu pappardelle into individual pasta bowls, topping with additional grated parmesan, chopped fresh herbs, and/or crushed red pepper as desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
Make-Ahead, Storage and Freezing:
- Storage Instructions:Beef short rib ragu sauce stores incredibly well – it’s the type of thing that gets even better as it sits and its flavors have the chance to meld together. To store, prep the sauce through Step 6 of Recipe Directions, above. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Whip up a batch of short rib ragu pasta during the week by reheating the braised short rib ragu in a skillet, and completing the recipe according to “Short Rib Ragu Pasta”Steps 1-4, above.
- Freezing Instructions:Short rib ragu is also incredibly freezer-friendly. To freeze, transfer the cooled short rib ragu sauce to a freezer container (or divide it up between multiple freezer containers for smaller portions). Freeze up to 3 months. To thaw, place the frozen ragu in the refrigerator overnight or submerge the freezer container in room temperature water for a quicker thaw. Reheat the ragu sauce in a skillet. If the thawed ragu sauce is a little watery at first, simply allow any residual water simmer out. If the thawed ragu sauce is too thick, simply add in a splash of water or stock until your desired consistency is reached. Complete the recipe according to “Short Rib Ragu Pasta” Steps 1-4, above
Alternate Cooking Methods:
- Oven Braised Beef Short Rib Ragu: Prep the recipe according to Steps 1-5, above. Rather than braising on the stovetop, transfer the covered pot to a 325 degree F oven. Braise in the oven for 2 ½ – 3 hours, until the beef short ribs are fall-apart tender, then finish the short rib ragu sauce as directed in Step 6 and complete the recipe according to “Short Rib Ragu Pasta”Steps 2-4.
- Crock Pot / Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu: Prep the recipe according to Steps 1-4, above. Transfer the soffritto mixture to the slow cooker, along with the aromatics, tomatoes, broth/stock (or water), and browned beef short ribs as directed in Step 5. Slow cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours, stirring occasionally. Finish the short rib ragu sauce as directed in Step 6 and complete the recipe according to “Short Rib Ragu Ragu Pasta” Steps 2-4, which you can do right in your slow cooker. If your slow cooker has a searing/browning feature, you can use it to cook the entire short rib ragu sauce recipe (Steps 1-6) in the slow cooker.
- Electric Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot Short Rib Ragu: Use your Instant Pot’s “Sauté” setting to cook the recipe according to Steps 1-5, above. Cover and seal the pressure cooker and cook on manual high pressure for 50 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes before carefully flicking the valve to its “venting” position to vent out any residual pressure. If the ragu seems a little too liquidy, feel free to turn on the Sauté setting again, letting the sauce simmer down a little before finishing as directed in Steps 6. Complete the recipe according to “Short Rib Ragu Pasta”Steps 2-4, which you can do right in your pressure cooker pot.
Recipe and Food Styling by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Photography byRachel Cook, Half Acre House.
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