Short rib ragu is one of those recipes that takes simple ingredients and makes them something extraordinary. It also is one of those recipes that requires some time, and some patience.

The short ribs slowly braise until they are beyond tender and have had a chance to simmer in all the flavors. You end up with a comfort meal that’s full of flavor.

The homemade tomato and red wine ragu sauce brings it all together and it serves perfectly over pasta, veggies, potatoes, polenta, you name it!

You can start making this early on a Sunday and have a warm and comforting Sunday night dinner. While it does take some time to prepare, it’s easier to make than you may think.

See the notes for Dutch oven substitutions.

Short Rib Ragu

Course: Dinner, SaucesDifficulty: Medium
Prep time

25

minutes
Cooking time

3

hours 
Total time

3

hours 

25

minutes

Ingredients

  • 3-4 lbs beef short ribs

  • 1 white onion, diced

  • 2-3 celery stalks, diced

  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced

  • Salt and Pepper to taste

  • Garlic to your hearts desire

  • Herb bundle (I used about 5 sprigs of fresh thyme, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, and 1-2 bay leaves)

  • 1.5 cups dry red wine

  • 2 cups beef broth or stock (use low sodium if using stock)

  • 1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes

  • 4 ounces tomato paste

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 300° F and preheat a Dutch oven
    -Adjust the oven racks if necessary to make sure your Dutch oven will fit.
    -Warm 2-3 Tbs of oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat.
  • Prep the short ribs
    -While the Dutch oven is preheating, pat the short ribs dry and season with salt and pepper on all sides.
    -One the pan is hot, sear the short ribs on all side. Make sure not to over crowd the pan and sear the short ribs in batches if needed. The short ribs should take about 10 minutes total to sear on all sides per batch.
    -Remove short ribs from pan and set aside.
  • Make the ragu sauce
    -Lower the heat to medium-low and to the same pan add in the carrots, onion, and celery.
    -Saute the veggies until very soft (about 10 minutes) then add in the garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook for another 2 minutes.
    -Add in the tomato paste and mix until everything is well combined before adding in the wine.
    -Allow wine to cook for about 3 minutes then add in the herb bundle, beef broth, and crushed tomatoes. Combine again.
  • Slow braise the short rib ragu
    -When the sauce begins to simmer add the short ribs back into the Dutch oven and cover.
    -Remove from heat and transfer to the oven to cook for 2 hours.
    -At the 2 hour mark, place the Dutch oven lid slightly ajar and continue to cook for 1 more hour.
  • Shred the short ribs
    -Remove from the oven and shred the short rib meat. Find your herb bundle while you do this and discard it. You can shred the short ribs with 2 forks at this point, the meat should be very tender. Remove any bones and add the meat back in the ragu sauce.
    (If you want your ragu to feel thicker add less sauce and more meat when combining the two)
    -Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
    -Serve over your choice of carb or vegetable and garnish with grated cheese and fresh parsley.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • If you do not have a Dutch oven this can be made in a heavy oven safe pot with a lid, a large ceramic baking dish, or as a last resort a deep roasting pan with foil.