When my son married my daughter-in-law, the wedding venue served the most amazing beef short rib ragu over the creamiest polenta. I’m not a huge beef eater but I have thought about that pasta sauce ever since. That’s the sign of a good dish, right?
That taste memory was the inspiration behind developing this recipe. Plus, it is cold outside right now and comfort dishes like a hearty beef stew are always on the menu.
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What makes this short rib ragu recipe a little different is the long gentle, stovetop simmer. 2 1/2 hours long. Bone in short ribs are naturally a tougher cut of meat, thanks to all that collagen. Keeping the heat low and steady lets the short ribs slowly relax and the collagen break down, so the meat stays tender and rich instead of tightening up or drying out.
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Equipment note
A heavy, 5 qt Dutch oven is the size I use here and the minimum size I would recommend for braising short ribs. It has a large enough base to evenly brown the ribs and hold them along with the sauce. A wider base also makes it easier to skim fat from the surface as the ribs cook.
I don’t recommend a non-stick pot for this recipe as it’s hard to get a good sear and the quality varies across brands.
Buying bone-in short ribs
Start by going to your favorite butcher or meat counter where you can talk to someone. This isn’t the time to buy pre-packaged short ribs.
Here is what I’d look and ask for:
Ask the butcher for English-cut, bone-in short ribs. This is where the bone and the meat run parallel with a fat cap.
One bone per piece (not thin cross-cut/flanken ribs)
Thick meat cap on top of the bone — check!
Fewer, larger ribs per pound (chunky and square cut beats skinny every time)
Good marbling, not giant hard slabs of fat
Avoid pre-packed trays if you can — they’re often picked over.
Step-by-step process
Whether you are making them for the same day or the day before, the cooking process is the same. It’s the skimming that will be different.
Let’s start by gathering all the ingredients needed.
Skim the fat
I mentioned earlier that short ribs are a fatty cut of meat and all that fat is released into your sauce. Fat adds flavor but too much can make the finished dish feel greasy instead of rich.
If you love a great make ahead meal, there is nothing better than short rib ragu. Plan to make this at least the day before you hope to serve in order to remove any excess fat or oil from the sauce.
- Same day. If serving the same day is the only option, then use a ladle to skim the oil from the sauce as it simmers (pictured above).
- Make ahead. Once the beef is fork tender (after about 2-3 hours), remove it to a container and cool. Let the sauce cool slightly before refrigerating in a separate container. The fat will rise to the top and harden. Once that happens, remove it from the top and discard. Continue with shredding the meat and heating in the sauce per the recipe card below.
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Stovetop Braised Short Ribs Ragu
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Ingredients
- 3 lb bone-in short ribs, seasoned generously with kosher salt, celery salt oregano and black pepper
- 1 T kosher salt, divided
- 1 T dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 T olive oil, divided
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and minced about 1 1/2 cup
- 1 onion, chopped; approx 1 1/2 cups
- 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 oz tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 bottle passata tomato sauce
- 1 qt beef stock
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 T beef bouillon paste
Instructions
- In a large 5qt Dutch oven, brown the ribs in 2 T olive oil on all sides. Carefully remove the ribs to a plate with tongs and set aside.
- Saute 1 onion, 3 carrots, until softened. Add 4 cloves garlic minced till you can smell it. Stir in 3 oz tomato paste and stir for about 2 minutes. Pour in 1 cup red wine and reduce down until syrupy
- Now, pour in 1 quart beef stock, the passata , 1 T beef bouillon paste and 3 sprigs fresh thyme. Bring to a simmer. Once simmering, carefully taste and correct for seasoning.
- Use tongs to place the short ribs in the sauce, cover with tight fitting lid and simmer on very low low for around 2 hours, stirring every so often to make sure nothing burns or sticks on the bottom.
- Remove the short ribs from the pot and once cooled, place in an airtight container in the fridge. Allow the sauce to cool and then refrigerate overnight. The next morning, lift off the “fat cap” that has formed and discard.
- Heat the rich sauce below and while it’s heating remove the meat from the bones and discard the bones. Add the short meat back into the sauce. Reduce the sauce down until thickened. If needed, pull about 1/2 cup of sauce into a small bowl and add 1 T cornstarch, stirring to make a slurry. Stir the cornstarch “sauce” into the pot and the sauce will thicken beautifully.
- Serve over creamy polenta or pasta with plenty of fresh grated parmesan cheese.
