Short Rib Ragu Recipe

Prepare and Season

Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels. Season all sides generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lightly dust the ribs with the all-purpose flour, shaking off excess.

Brown Ribs

Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter. When shimmering and butter melts, add short ribs in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and brown on all sides until deeply caramelized, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer browned short ribs to a plate and set aside.

Sweat Vegetables

Reduce heat to medium. Add the chopped onion, diced carrot and celery to the same pot. Add a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to caramelize, about 8–10 minutes. Scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Add Garlic and Tomato Paste

Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring, 2–3 minutes to darken and remove raw flavor.

Deglaze with Wine

Pour in the dry red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer until the wine reduces by about half, approximately 6–8 minutes.

Add Stock and Tomatoes

Return the browned short ribs and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the beef stock, crushed tomatoes, hand-crushed whole tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, rosemary (if using), and crushed red pepper flakes. The liquid should come about two-thirds of the way up the ribs; add a little more stock or water if needed.

Bring to Gentle Simmer

Bring mixture to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, then cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to a preheated oven at 325°F (160°C). Braise until the short ribs are fork-tender and falling off the bone, about 2.5 to 3 hours.

Remove and Shred Meat

Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Transfer the short ribs to a cutting board; reserve the braising liquid in the pot. When cool enough to handle, remove bones and shred the meat with two forks into bite-sized pieces.

Reduce and Concentrate Sauce

Place the pot with braising liquid back on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Skim off excess fat from the surface with a spoon or use a fat separator. Bring the sauce to a simmer and reduce until slightly thickened and flavorful, about 15–20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Assemble Ragu

Return the shredded meat to the reduced sauce. Stir in the heavy cream if using and half of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Simmer gently 5 minutes to meld flavors. Stir in chopped parsley just before serving.

Cook Pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the pappardelle or tagliatelle according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

Toss Pasta with Ragu

Add the drained pasta to the pot with the ragu (or transfer ragu into the pasta pot). Toss over low heat, adding reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta, until the desired consistency is reached.

Serve

Portion pasta into bowls. Spoon additional ragu on top if needed. Finish with the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano and a sprinkle of chopped parsley. Serve immediately.