An indulgent, restaurant-quality dish you can make at home. This braised Beef Short Rib Ragù is rich, comforting, and perfect for a romantic dinner or to impress guests.
Italian-style Comfort Food, Made at Home
Having a few restaurant-quality recipes in your repertoire makes special occasions easy. This short rib ragù is elegant enough for Valentine’s Day or a dinner party, yet straightforward to prepare. I break the process into simple steps so a novice cook can succeed.
Short ribs come from the chuck portion of the beef and contain a lot of connective tissue and fat, which makes them ideal for slow braising. Braising first browns the meat and then cooks it gently in liquid so the connective tissue breaks down and the meat becomes tender and fall-apart delicious.
This beef short rib ragù develops deep flavor in three key stages:
- Brown the short ribs well. Good browning creates complex flavors through the Maillard reaction and gives the finished sauce extra depth.
- Build a soffritto—finely chopped onion, carrot, and celery—then caramelize it with tomato paste and garlic to form the sauce’s flavorful base.
- Add braising liquids and aromatics: dry red wine, crushed tomatoes, beef stock, a parmesan rind, bay leaf, and a bundle of fresh herbs. Nestle the ribs in and braise low and slow for several hours until the meat is tender enough to shred.
What is Ragù? Ragu vs. Bolognese
Ragù is a traditional Italian sauce made by braising meat slowly with a soffritto, tomatoes, and wine. The emphasis is on the braised meat, which is shredded and served in a rich, thick tomato-based sauce.
Bolognese, or ragù alla Bolognese, often uses beef and veal and tends to be a bit thinner and more sauce-forward. Modern variations include short ribs, ground meat, or even plant-based options. This short rib ragù focuses on tender, braised meat suspended in a robust sauce.
What You’ll Need
Main ingredients:
- Beef short ribs (bone-in or boneless)
- Avocado oil (or tallow, ghee, or olive oil)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Yellow onion, carrots, celery (soffritto)
- Garlic
- Tomato paste
- Dry red wine (Pinot Noir, Cabernet, or a dry Italian red)
- Beef stock (or vegetable broth)
- Crushed tomatoes (San Marzano recommended)
- Parmesan rind
- Bay leaf
- Fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage (tied as a bundle)
To serve:
- Heavy cream (optional, for extra richness)
- Grated Parmesan and chopped parsley for garnish
- Pappardelle pasta (or your preferred pasta, polenta, quinoa, cauliflower rice, or zucchini noodles)
Tips Before Starting
Timing: Don’t Rush
The browning and the soffritto are where much of the ragù’s depth develops, so take your time. Braising typically takes 3–5 hours depending on rib size. Smaller pieces may finish in about 3 hours; larger bone-in ribs can require up to 5 hours.
Use a Heavy Braiser
A heavy-bottomed braiser or Dutch oven holds heat and promotes even browning and slow cooking. It’s worth investing in a good one for dishes like this.
Bundle the Herbs
Tie thyme, rosemary, and sage together so they release flavor while remaining easy to remove before shredding the meat.
Prep Your Vegetables
Finely dice your soffritto by hand, or roughly chop and pulse in a food processor for speed. Mince the garlic.
How to Make Short Rib Ragù
Step 1: Pat the short ribs dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat your braiser over medium-high heat, add oil, and brown the ribs on all sides until deeply colored. Remove and set aside.
Step 2: Drain all but about 2 tablespoons of fat. Add diced carrots, celery, and onion and cook over medium heat until caramelized, about 10 minutes.
Step 3: Add garlic and tomato paste and continue to cook, allowing the paste and vegetables to caramelize and leave browned bits on the pan. This may take about 25 minutes—don’t rush it.
Step 4: Deglaze with red wine, scraping up the fond from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine reduce by half, about 5 minutes.
Step 5: Add beef stock, crushed tomatoes, the parmesan rind, bay leaf, and the herb bundle. Return the short ribs to the pot and nestle them into the liquid.
Step 6: Cover and simmer on low (or transfer to a low oven) for 3–5 hours, until the meat easily comes off the bone and shreds with a fork. Check after 3 hours and add stock if the sauce becomes too thick.
Step 7: Remove and discard the parmesan rind, bay leaf, and herb bundle. Remove the ribs and shred the meat with two forks, trimming large pieces of fat if desired.
Step 8: Stir the shredded meat back into the sauce. For extra silkiness, add a splash of heavy cream and a handful of grated Parmesan, if you like.
Step 9: Serve the ragù tossed with pappardelle or spooned over polenta, rice, or cauliflower rice. Garnish with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.
How to Serve This Short Rib Ragù
With Pappardelle Pasta
Pappardelle’s wide ribbons hold thick, meaty sauces beautifully, making it the classic choice for short rib ragù. If you need a gluten-free option, corn-and-rice pappardelle offers excellent texture.
Over Polenta
Creamy polenta is an ideal base for thick ragù—its mellow corn flavor pairs naturally with the rich beef sauce.
Low-Carb Options
Serve the ragù over sautéed cauliflower rice or raw zucchini noodles. If using raw zucchini noodles, pour very hot ragù over them so they soften slightly without becoming soggy.
Storing Leftovers
Cool the ragù completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a skillet, adding a splash of beef stock or water to loosen the sauce if the rendered fat has solidified.
Other Slow-Cooked Beef Ideas
- Beef Barbacoa (chipotle-braised beef)
- Beef Birria de Res
- Moroccan Beef Stew (Beef Tagine)
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Beef Short Rib Ragù
Equipment
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Cast iron braiser or heavy Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3 pounds short ribs
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 carrots peeled and diced
- 1/2 yellow onion large, diced
- 1 celery stalk diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3/4 cup dry red wine
- 14 ounce crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup beef stock + more, to thin if necessary
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 parmesan rind
- fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage bundled with kitchen twine
- 1/4 cup heavy cream optional
- parmesan cheese optional, to garnish
- parsley optional, to garnish
Instructions
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Pat the short ribs dry and brown them in hot oil in a Dutch oven or braiser. Season generously with salt and pepper. Brown well on all sides, then remove from the pot.
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Drain all but about 2 tablespoons of oil. Add carrots, celery, and onion and cook until caramelized, about 10 minutes.
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Stir in garlic and tomato paste and continue to cook so the paste darkens and the vegetables develop deep color, about 25 minutes total for this step.
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Deglaze with red wine, scraping up browned bits. Reduce the wine by half, about 5 minutes.
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Add beef stock, crushed tomatoes, the parmesan rind, bay leaf, and the bundled herbs. Return the short ribs to the pot.
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Cover and simmer on low for 3–5 hours, until the meat easily shreds. Check liquid levels after 3 hours and add stock if needed.
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Remove the parmesan rind, bay leaf, and herb bundle. Shred the short ribs with two forks, trimming excess fat if desired.
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Stir the shredded meat back into the sauce. Optionally finish with heavy cream and more grated Parmesan for extra depth.
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Serve with pappardelle, polenta, rice, or your preferred base. Garnish with Parmesan and parsley.
Notes
Timing the Ragù
This dish rewards patience. Don’t rush the browning or the soffritto; they’re essential for deep flavor. Braise until the meat falls off the bone.
Tie the Herbs
Tying the herbs keeps them easy to remove while still infusing the sauce.
Short Rib Ragù with Pappardelle
Wide pasta like pappardelle is ideal for coating with this thick ragù.
Short Rib Ragù Over Polenta
Creamy polenta is a classic, comforting base for ragù.
Low-Carb Serving Options
Serve over cauliflower rice or raw zucchini noodles. Pour very hot ragù over raw zoodles so they soften slightly without becoming mushy.