Slowly Braised Short Rib Ragu

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This Slowly Braised Short Rib Ragu is the ultimate in Italian comfort food! Beef short ribs slowly braise until fall-apart tender with simple vegetables, fresh herbs, tomatoes, and red wine, creating a hearty and boldly flavored homemade ragu sauce. Toss it into pappardelle or any pasta you love or serve it atop polenta or gnocchi for an easy, but seriously rich and comforting pasta dinner. Stovetop, oven-Braised, slow cooker and Instant Pot directions provided.
Featured In Pasta Series
Braised Short Rib Ragu Pappardelle shown in a pasta bowl, topped with grated parmesan & fresh parsley. The bowl sits atop a black surface surrounded by a small wooden pinch bowl filled with grated parmesan, a gray linen napkin, & a set of silver silverware.

The Ultimate Slowly Simmered Italian Comfort Food – Braised Short Rib Ragu!

As a true Italian food lover, ragu holds a special place in my heart.

I first fell head-over-heels for ragu while working at a fine dining Italian restaurant in Milwaukee. I begged the chefs to teach me how to make our ragu della casa, served with hand-cut pappardelle, so I could replicate it at home. Fast forward 10+ years, and I still can’t get enough ragu – in fact, it’s one of my specialties!

We’ve shared a number of different well-loved ragu recipes here on PWWB, but today’s is probably my favorite. In my opinion, Braised Beef Short Rib Ragu is the ultimate ragu and this recipe has been tested and perfected over the years to yield irresistible flavor.

This slowly-braised short rib ragu is the ultimate comfort food.

The secret lies in developing a rich base of flavor for the sauce by taking the time to 1) sear the short ribs and 2) deeply brown the soffritto veggies on the stovetop for up to 20 to 35 minutes! This step coaxes out all the flavor of the veggies yielding a rich braising liquid.

The tender beef short ribs then braise slowly with the vegetables, aromatic herbs, tomatoes, and a splash of red wine until their fall-apart tender and infused with rich, savory flavor. This hands-off process creates a special home-cooked sauce that’s perfect for tossing with pappardelle and a generous sprinkle of parmesan.

It’s cozy enough for a weekend dinner yet special enough for date nights, Christmas, or Valentine’s Day. Italian comfort food doesn’t get better than this!

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. While you can prepare ragu sauce using many types of meat (or meaty vegetables, like mushrooms), the common thread is that ragu is always super hearty with rich, bold flavor.

An angled shot of beef short rib ragu sauce in a large Dutch garnished with fresh herbs.
The secret to an incredible ragu is a low and slow cooking method that layers tons of flavor into melt-in-your-mouth short ribs.

Key Ingredients

Like the best Italian dishes, this short rib ragu recipe is all about coaxing big, bold flavor out of relatively humble ingredients, most of which you likely keep stocked in your pantry or fridge.

Beef short ribs, olive oil, carrots, yellow onion, celery, garlic, DeLallo tomato paste, red wine, fresh poultry herb blend, bay leaves, parmesan rind, DeLallo San Marzano Style crushed tomatoes, low-sodium beef broth/stock, dried pappardelle noodles, heavy cream, and grated parmesan arranged on a dark textured surface.
A handful of pantry staples combine with tons of aromatics for bold flavor.
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). While flanken short ribs are great for quick-cooking methods, like grilling, English-cut short ribs are a tougher cut. They benefit from cooking low and slow to break down all of the connective tissue in the meat which makes the beef totally fall-apart tender. As such, you’ll often see them in braised dishes, like this beef short rib ragu!

Short Ribs Shopping Tips!

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. If you can’t find beef short ribs, you can make this ragu recipe using beef chuck roast.

Other key ingredients…

  • Soffritto – The Italian holy trinity of onioncarrot, and celery. 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 a food processor to 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 of petite diced San Marzano-style tomatoes, which add flavor and body to the short rib ragu, and tomato paste for its concentrated flavor. DeLallo’s tomato paste tube is my absolute favorite. It’s double concentrated, packing an even bigger punch of flavor.
  • Wine – A bold red 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, and simmering.

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!

Browned beef short rib in a large Dutch oven atop a dark textured surface.
Step 1: Sear the short ribs.
1

Coat a large, heavy-bottomed pot with olive oil. Pat the short ribs completely dry with paper towels, and season them well with salt and ground black pepper. Once the oil is hot, add the short ribs to the pot and take your time to sear the short ribs for a few minutes per side, until they’re deeply golden brown. Then remove and set aside. Why? ⇢ Browning leaves browned bits (or fond being the technical French term) on the bottom of the pan, which creates the base flavor upon which the rest of the short rib ragu is built.

Browned soffritto in a large Dutch oven atop a dark textured surface. A wooden spoon rests inside the dutch oven used for stirring the soffritto.
Step 2: Brown the soffritto veggies and aromatics.
2

Add the 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 cook another 5 minutes, until deeply fragrant. In total, this process should take no less than 20-25 minutes – we’re after deep color and flavor, here! Why? ⇢ Again, the soffritto and tomato paste leave browned bits on the bottom of the pot, 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!

Beef short rib ragu sauce prior to braising - browned beef short ribs, fresh herbs, & a parmesan rind sitting in a crushed tomato mixture in a large Dutch oven atop a dark textured surface.
Step 3: Deglaze and build the sauce.
3

Deglaze the pot by slowly 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 veggies. 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. Then add in the remaining ingredients to build the sauce: 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.

Beef short rib ragu in a large Dutch oven atop a dark textured surface. A few fresh herbs garnish the top of the sauce.
Step 4: Slowly braise the beef ragu sauce.
4

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. The braising process will take 2 ½ – 3 hours to break down all of the connective tissue and tenderize the meat. Have patience and your kitchen will be sure to smell like absolute Italian comfort food heaven.

Alternate Cooking Methods

While stovetop braising is our method of choice, you can easily adapt this braised short rib ragu for a few 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: How to Make Short Rib Ragu Pasta

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!

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!

Cooked pappardelle pasta drained in a mesh strainer that rests overtop a white dutch oven. The dutch oven sits atop a black surface.
Step 1: Boil the pasta.
1

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.

A skillet sits atop a black surface with a few sprigs of fresh herbs resting alongside of the skillet. A woman's hands are in the frame with one hand holding the skillet handle while the other hand holds a wooden spoon while stirring heavy cream into the sauce.
Step 2: Finish the sauce with heavy cream and parmesan.
2

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.

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.

Short Rib Ragu Pappardelle in a small skillet atop a black surface. The ragu has been topped with grated parmesan and fresh parsley. A few sprig of herbs rest alongside the skillet.
Short rib ragu is simple enough to make for a cozy weekend meal, and impressive enough to serve for date nights, holidays and more.
3

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 the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Check the Recipe Notes, below, for step-by-step guidance!

Side angle of Short Rib Ragu shown in pasta bowls, topped with grated parmesan & fresh parsley. The bowls sit atop a dark black surface next to a clear glass filled with red wine, a small wooden pinch bowl filled with grated parmesan cheese, and a grey linen napkin.
Top your pasta with lots of grated parmesan, black pepper, and fresh parsley, and pair with a glass of your favorite red wine!

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 @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! Happy cooking! ♡

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Braised Short Rib Ragu Pappardelle shown in pasta bowls, topped with grated parmesan & fresh parsley. The bowls sit atop a black surface surrounded by a clear glass filled with red wine, a gray linen napkin, & two silver forks.

Slowly Braised Beef Short Rib Ragu

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 45 reviews
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 3 hours
  • Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: serves 1012 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 cut beef short ribs
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1 stalk celery, finely diced
  • 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
  • 6 ounces tomato paste
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • one (1) 0.75-ounce package fresh “poultry herb blend” (or approx. 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, 4 sprigs fresh sage leaves and 12 sprigs fresh thyme)
  • 2 bay 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: grated parmesan, finely chopped fresh herbs, etc.Beef short rib ragu ingredients arranged on a dark textured surface: beef short ribs, olive oil, carrots, yellow onion, celery, garlic, DeLallo tomato paste, red wine, fresh poultry herb blend, bay leaves, parmesan rind, DeLallo San Marzano Style crushed tomatoes, low-sodium beef broth/stock, dried pappardelle noodles, heavy cream, & grated parmesan.

Instructions

Braised Short Rib Ragu Sauce:

  1. 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.Browned beef short rib in a large Dutch oven atop a dark textured surface.
  2. 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.Browned soffritto in a large Dutch oven atop a dark textured surface. A wooden spoon rests inside the dutch oven used for stirring the soffritto.
  3. 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.Tomato paste & aromatics mixed into browned soffritto in a large Dutch oven atop a dark textured surface. A wooden spoon rests inside the dutch oven used for stirring the soffritto.
  4. 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.Wine is being poured into a mixture of tomato paste & aromatics mixed into browned soffritto in a large Dutch oven atop a dark textured surface. This mixture is to create a short rib ragu sauce. A wooden spoon rests inside the dutch oven used for stirring the ingredients together.
  5. 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.
  6. 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).Slowly braised beef short rib ragu in a large Dutch oven atop a dark textured surface. A few fresh herbs garnish the top of the ragu sauce.

Short Rib Ragu Pasta:

  1. 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!Cooked pappardelle pasta drained in a mesh strainer that rests overtop a white dutch oven. The dutch oven sits atop a black surface.
  2. 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.Reheating the short rib ragu with heavy cream in a small skillet. The skillet sits atop a black surface with a few sprigs of fresh herbs resting alongside of the skillet. A wooden spoon used to stir the heavy cream into the ragu sauce rests inside of the skillet.
  3. 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.Slowly Braised Short Rib Ragu Pappardelle in a small skillet atop a black surface. The ragu has been topped with grated parmesan & fresh parsley. A few sprig of herbs rest alongside the skillet.
  4. 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!Braised Short Rib Ragu Pappardelle shown in pasta bowls, topped with grated parmesan & fresh parsley. The bowls sit atop a black surface surrounded by a clear glass filled with red wine, a small wooden pinch bowl filled with grated parmesan, a gray linen napkin, & two silver forks.


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 by Rachel Cook, Half Acre House.

Follow along with Plays Well With Butter on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest for more unfussy recipes that pack a big punch of flavor!

Hi there, I'm Jess!

If there’s 1 thing to know about me, it’s this: I am head-over-heels in love with food. I’m on a mission to make weeknight cooking flavorful, fast, & fun for other foodies, & PWWB is where I share foolproof recipes that deliver major flavor with minimal effort. Other true loves: pretty shoes, puppies, Grey’s Anatomy, & my cozy kitchen in Minneapolis, MN.

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Comments

  1. 10.2.24
    Joel said:

    Tried this for the first time when guests were coming (I do that often – it’s about as risky as I get!). This was fabulous – everyone loved it.
    I have one question though – I make my own pasta (got a pasta maker for my Kitchenaid for Christmas last year). Do I really need to boil the pasta first? Since the ragu is practically boiling, I thought about just stirring the freshly made pasta into it, but didn’t want to risk a failure since company was coming. Thoughts?






    • 10.3.24
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Joel, so glad you and your guests loved the ragu! Love the boldness of trying a new recipe for guests, thanks for trusting us! 🙂 As far as the fresh pasta goes, we do not recommend cooking the pasta in the ragu – it’ll change the texture of the pasta and the sauce, and it’s an easy way to ruin the sauce you’ve been working so hard on!! Taking a few minutes to boil the noodles first before finishing in the sauce is totally worth it. You can find more tips on homemade pasta HERE! Thanks again for taking the time to leave a review!

  2. 9.22.24
    Lauren said:

    holy shirt balls this was good!! Made this 3 nights ago and still thinking about it. Seriously, it’s so good & so easy. Already dreaming of making it again. Also, for anyone who happens to have Flanken cut instead of English cut on hand, it worked perfectly well. Just more bones to pick out , and slightly less cook time but to quote my 4 yr old, I give this “7 million infinity stars”






    • 9.23.24
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      7 million infinity stars?! Thanks so much, Lauren! So glad it turned out great for you! 🙂

  3. 9.15.24
    David said:

    The recipe looks wonderful, but I was hoping to prepare it for a date night and it seems like an awful lot for two. Might be a silly question but if I wanted to make just half of it, is it as simple as cutting the measurements in half? Or do some of the ingredients need to be incorporated fully to get the full effect?

    • 9.16.24
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi David, this ragu would be perfect for a date night!! You could always make a full batch and freeze some for later! It reheats beautifully and we love having a quick, DELICIOUS meal in our back pocket! You’re also more than welcome to halve the recipe. You’ll want to keep an eye on the short ribs, since the cooking time will likely be shorter, but otherwise it should work great! 🙂 Can’t wait to hear what you (and your date!) think!

  4. 8.21.24
    Amy said:

    I’m making this now and the meat is not falling off at the bones at 2.5 hours. Has anyone else had to cook this longer?

    • 8.22.24
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Cooking time can definitely vary – 2.5-3 hours is usually the right braising time, but it can definitely take a bit longer. Hope it ended up turning out great for you!

  5. 8.17.24
    Grace said:

    I look forward to making this! If I make in the oven- do I need to cover my dish or leave it uncovered? Would a Dutch oven be ok?

    • 8.19.24
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Grace, the pot should be covered for braising, and a Dutch oven will work great! 🙂

  6. 8.12.24
    Sophia said:

    I’m making this sometime this week for sure. Is the cream absolutely necessary? Can I use something else, or omit it?






    • 8.13.24
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Sophia, we definitely feel that the cream is necessary for adding richness and finishing the sauce for serving. If you can’t tolerate dairy, a plant-based cream substitute could work here. Of course, you’re welcome to try the sauce without cream, too. Hope you enjoy!

  7. 6.30.24
    NAN said:

    Everything blended SO well together! and it was finished very quickly by my family over the weekend! My issue (which was my fault!) was not shredding the short rib as much towards the end but I definitely learned for next time! Thank you for sharing 🙂






    • 7.1.24
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      So glad you enjoyed it, Nan! It’s one of our favorites 🙂

  8. 4.6.24
    Reyhaneh said:

    Serves 10-12… how many people does this recipe feed? Would it be enough for a dinner for 6 or should I double the recipe?

    • 4.8.24
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      It feeds 10-12 people, so one batch will be plenty for a dinner for 6! 🙂

  9. 3.25.24
    Patricia Zappone said:

    I loved this recipe, made it in my ninja slow cooker the day before I served it. I used pappardelle pasta,loved it! I will definitely make again!

    • 3.25.24
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Patricia, so happy to hear the Ragu turned out great for you! Pappardelle is the perfect pasta for it 🙂

  10. 2.12.24
    Kate said:

    I’m looking forward to making this for a girls dinner this Friday!! Any suggestions on sides?? I was going to do a salad and bread. What else????

    • 2.13.24
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      A nice salad & a good, crusty bread sound perfect! Don’t forget red wine! 🙂

  11. 2.8.24
    Kim said:

    This looks so amazing, I can hardly stand waiting to try it! I’ve made ragu with flank steak before, but never with short ribs. This looks totally restaurant-quality!

    • 2.9.24
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      It’s seriously SO good, Kim!! Hope you have a chance to give it a try soon! 🙂

  12. 1.29.24
    Lauren olson said:

    I’ve made this before with the short ribs. My local market is out however and need to make for a party. Would chuck roast work as a sub ?






    • 1.29.24

      Hey Lauren! Yes, chuck roast works beautifully as a sub for short ribs. I’d suggest checking out my Beef Ragu recipe, which is very similar to the short rib ragu recipe but its directions are specific to chuck roast.

      Hope this helps!
      Jess

  13. 1.26.24
    Dallas said:

    Is it a “stalk” of celery which is the whole thing that you buy at the store, or is it a “rib” which is just one long piece from the stalk? Your recipe says a stalk, but the amount you put in the pot in your video looks like much less.

    • 1.26.24

      Hi Dallas – Use just one individual piece/”rib”, not the whole bunch of celery. Hope this helps!

  14. 1.21.24
    Tina said:

    I made a double batch of this for dinner tonight, because I want extra to give to my Mom & my in laws, and it was super tasty. It wasn’t very thick though and I’m wondering if the recipe calculation should not have doubled the liquids? Or if I needed to cook it a whole lot longer than 3 1/2 hours? I served it, and the pasta absorbed it and it was really good. But I’m kind of hoping the rest of the sauce will thicken as it sits in the fridge. Or maybe I just need to simmer it down even more. Do you have any tips for next time? Thanks!






    • 1.22.24
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Tina, we’re happy that you enjoyed the flavors of this Ragu, and sorry to hear it wasn’t as thick as you’d like! We always recommend finishing your Ragu on the stovetop with heavy cream, parmesan and pasta so everything can meld together – if the sauce is too thin, we add more parmesan, and if it’s too thick, we add pasta water to loosen it up. This is a great way to adjust the thickness of your sauce! Hopefully that helps!

  15. 1.18.24
    Rachelle S. said:

    I constantly make recipes from food blogs and I NEVER leave comments(let’s face it, all y’all have it pretty well covered) but this dish was the best thing I’ve ever eaten, hands down, nothing even comes close to touching this recipe. My husband and I both said it’s officially our favorite recipe I’ve ever made and he’s requested again for his birthday next month. I made it for company and everyone had seconds. The depth of flavor was amazing. Does it take awhile to make? Yes. Do you have to be patient? Yes. Is it really worth following every tip and step in the recipe thoroughly? 100%
    Make it, go right now to the store, get your ingredients and make this recipe.






    • 1.19.24
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      This is the absolute biggest compliment we could receive! Thank you SO much for your review, Rachelle, and we’re so happy to hear that you all loved this Ragu as much as we do! 🙂

  16. 1.15.24
    Danielle said:

    The. Best. Ragu.!!! My husband makes this recipe and it’s my favorite. I’m always happy when there are leftovers 🤤.






    • 1.16.24
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Leftovers are seriously the BEST, we couldn’t agree more! Thanks so much for the kind review, Danielle!

  17. 1.2.24
    Renee said:

    This was incredible. I made this a day ahead and served it with pappardelle for Christmas dinner! I really recommend making it in advance, as the flavours developed a lot overnight.

    • 1.2.24
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Renee, we totally agree, making the sauce ahead of time makes serving easier AND makes the Ragu taste even better! Happy you enjoyed it, and hope you had a great Christmas! 🙂

  18. 12.28.23
    Justine said:

    Hi! I’m going to make this for my husbands Italian family and I want to be sure it is enough. There is 10 of us, I plan to have some meats and cheese appetizers as well.

    • 12.30.23
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Justine, this will definitely feed a crowd, especially with appetizers and such!! Hope you enjoy, make sure to let us know what you think! 🙂

  19. 12.26.23

    Well, Jess, I made this for Christmas dinner and it was a HUGE hit! The whole family LOVED it and asked for it again for next year! It was tender, it was succulent, it was amazingly flavorful! Thank you so very much for such a wonderful recipe! This was a 15 out of 10!

    • 12.28.23
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      15/10 is SUCH high praise! Thanks so much, Deb, glad you and your family enjoyed it!!

  20. 12.14.23
    Andie said:

    My daughter loves Sunday sauce! I tried this recipe for the first time. I opted for the oven method. Unfortunately, the short ribs were still very tough. I ended up putting the ribs with some sauce into my Instapot using the pressure cooker setting for 1 hour and then they fell apart. I’m not opposed to the extra work but could not serve it on the day I wanted because it wasn’t ready. But it will make a fabulous Christmas Day dinner and I will freeze some as well! I also added sun dried tomatoes to give the sauce a deeper flavor. Fabulous!!

    • 12.14.23
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Andie, sorry to hear the ribs took longer to cook than expected! Cooking times can definitely vary based on the size of your short ribs and your specific oven. Happy that it turned out great for you in the end, though, and we totally agree that this is a great Christmas dinner! 🙂

  21. 12.9.23

    🤞making this for Christmas dinner. It looks decadent and delicious! My family LOVES anything Italian so…

    • 12.10.23
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      This Ragu is an awesome choice for Christmas dinner! Hope you and your family enjoy it as much as we do!

  22. 12.1.23
    Shelby said:

    This was a gorgeous pasta. All the detail just made such a flavorful dish. Usually I get to the end and have to adjust the seasonings.. I surprised myself because it was absolutely perfect the first taste.
    It tastes like a fancy restaurant made it. But it was me! Thank you! Absolutely delicious!

    • 12.10.23
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Shelby, restaurant quality at home is exactly what we were going for with this recipe!! So glad to hear it turned out great for you! 🙂

  23. 11.25.23
    Lori Rozmus said:

    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!

    • 11.27.23
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Lori, we’re so glad to hear you loved this ragu as much as we do! It’s definitely the perfect meal for special holiday celebrations 🙂