Short Rib Ragu with Papparedelle

One of my favorite things to eat is braised beef! Yes, braised beef. And it’s even better when over pasta (obviously…). I’ve had short rib ragu so many times, but never have made it. So when Winter Storm Jonas hit us a few weeks ago, I knew it was the perfect time to make a big pot of this yummy ragu.
After looking through a ton of recipes, I decided to tackle Bobby Flay’s – I knew it would be delicious. Yes it does take a lot of time, and there are a good amount of ingredients, but it is TOTALLY worth it. Super decadent – it’s the PERFECT winter meal.
We had a ton left over, so were able to freeze some for later on. Super easy to heat up once you’re ready for more. Simply place in a pan and heat up, then combine with your pasta. Done.
Enjoy!
- 4 pounds short ribs, each cut 2 inches long, cut flanken style (your butcher can do this for you)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 5 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 small carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium shallots, diced
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2½ cups red wine (I used cabernet)
- ½ head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
- 3½ cups beef stock
- 1 pound pappardelle
- Chopped parsley (for garnish)
- Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- Heat oven to 325 degrees
- Season short ribs generously with salt and pepper
- Add oil to a 5-quart Dutch oven and place over medium heat
- Heat oil until almost smoking
- Working in batches, add short ribs to Dutch oven and cook until nice and brown on both sides
- Add to a large bowl and set aside until all ribs are complete
- Next place the bay leaf, rosemary and thyme in a cheesecloth. Bring edges together and tie with kitchen string. Set aside
- Add carrots, celery, onion and shallots to Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until vegetables are soft and golden, stirring occasionally (this will take about 10 minutes)
- Then add flour and tomato paste to veggie mixture, stirring to combine
- Add ½ cup of the red wine and stir until any browned bits are removed from bottom of the Dutch oven
- Add remaining red wine and simmer until liquid is reduced by half
- Add garlic, beef stock and herbs in the cheesecloth
- Return short ribs to Dutch oven
- Bring liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat
- Cover and place in oven for 3 hours (meat must be tender, falling apart with a fork)
- Remove ribs from the Dutch and place in a separate bowl
- Place Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat and simmer to thicken sauce slightly
- Once meat is cool enough to handle, remove meat from the bones and shred into small pieces (you can do this with two forks)
- De-grease the sauce with a spoon and discard the cheesecloth
- Return meat to Dutch oven and simmer to reduce sauce by half
- Once that is complete, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil
- Add pasta and cook until al dente
- Add desired amount of meat to a separate pan and add pasta. Stir to combine
- Add to plates and top with parsley and Parmigiano Reggiano
- You can store leftovers in the freezer for about a month
