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Short rib ragu pasta on a plate.
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5 from 1 vote

Dutch Oven Short Rib Ragu

Get ready to impress with this Short Rib Ragu. It's made with beef short ribs that are pan-seared and then simmered in a rich and savory tomato sauce until they are tender enough to fall off the bone. Serve over fresh pappardelle and enjoy every bite of this unbelievably delicious meat sauce.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 25 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 275.91kcal
Author: Sarah Hill

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion finely diced
  • 3 large carrots peeled and finely diced
  • 3 celery stalks peeled and finely diced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 6 ounce can of tomato paste
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 parmesan rind
  • 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup beef broth

Instructions

  • In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil or medium-high heat. Pat dry the short ribs with paper towels and season generously with Kosher salt and black pepper on all sides.
  • Once the oil is hot, add in the short ribs and cook for about 3 minutes per side, until browned. Transfer them to a plate and set aside.
  • Carefully drain all but about 1-2 tablespoons of drippings from the pot.
  • Add the onion, carrots and celery to the pot and stir until slightly softened about 5 minutes. Add the garlic to the pot and cook for 2 minutes while stirring.
  • Next, add in the tomato paste and allow this to brown for about 3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and carefully scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Add the short ribs back to the pot along with the crushed tomatoes, herbs, bay leaves, parmesan rind and beef broth. Stir to combine and bring it to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for 3 hours or until the short ribs are tender and easily fall off the bone. Transfer the short ribs to a plate and remove the herbs, bay leaves and parmesan rind from the pot.
  • Use two forks to shred the short ribs and discard the bones. Add them back to the pot, season with additional salt and pepper to taste, and stir to combine.
  • Serve over pappardelle or tagliatelle pasta and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Video

Notes

  • Don't skip the sear. The first step in this recipe is searing the short ribs. It may be tempting to skip knowing that the meat is going to simmer for hours, but this helps the meat develop a nice crust and makes for a deeper flavored sauce.
  • Pat the short ribs dry! It is difficult to get a good sear on ribs that are too moist. For this reason, patting the short ribs completely dry before seasoning generously and searing is key!
  • Take care to finely dice the aromatics. The last thing you want is large chunks of carrot or celery in your ragu. Finely and evenly dice to ensure these flavors blend seamlessly into the sauce.
  • Save some for the freezer! This meat sauce freezes extremely well. If your family won't eat all 8 servings, stash half in the freezer for later quick and easy meals.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 275.91kcal | Carbohydrates: 1.51g | Protein: 24.16g | Fat: 16.24g | Saturated Fat: 5.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.85g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8.02g | Cholesterol: 73.26mg | Sodium: 193.9mg | Potassium: 473.38mg | Fiber: 0.15g | Sugar: 0.04g | Vitamin A: 38.11IU | Vitamin C: 1.53mg | Calcium: 17.82mg | Iron: 2.9mg