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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 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, & red wine, creating a hearty, & 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 & Instant Pot directions, as well as make-ahead & 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 & 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 & 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 & 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 & 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 & 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 & 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, & celery) to the same pot used to brown the short ribs, seasoning with 1 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Stir to combine & 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 & 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 & parmesan rind (if using). Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth/stock (or water), & browned short ribs from Step 1. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a low. Cover & 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 &/or reduce the heat further. [gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="22122,22127"]
  6. Finish the braised short rib ragu: Carefully transfer the short ribs to a plate or cutting board. At this point, you can remove & discard the spent herbs, bay leaves, & 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 & store for later use (see Recipe Notes for storage & 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 & 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 & 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, &/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.

Equipment

Notes

Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing:

  • Storage Instructions: Beef short rib ragu sauce stores incredibly well – it’s the type of thing that gets even better as it sits & 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 & 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, & 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 & 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), & 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 & 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 & 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.
     

Find it online: https://playswellwithbutter.com/short-rib-ragu-recipe/