Pair with 2019
Edaphos Grenache from our Club Argaux Winter delivery
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs of Short Ribs
- 1 White Onion (chopped)
- 2 Carrots (chopped)
- 1 Celery (chopped)
- 6 Garlic Cloves (minced)
- 4 oz Tomato Paste
- 2 Sage Sprigs, 2 Rosemary Sprigs, 10 Thyme Sprigs (tied together with butcher's twine)
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 cup Dry Red Wine
- 14 oz can of Crushed Tomatoes
- 2 cups of Beef Broth
- Parmesan Block (Rind for sauce, cheese to top pasta)
- Salt & Pepper
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Fresh Basil (chopped)
- Pappardelle or your pasta of choice
Brown the short ribs by adding the olive oil to a large pot (I use a 5-qt Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Pat the beef short ribs dry and season generously with salt & ground black pepper. Once the oil in the pot is shimmering hot, carefully add in the short ribs. Work in batches, as necessary, to avoid overcrowding the pot (which prevents browning). Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until nicely browned. Transfer the browned short ribs to a plate & set aside.
Add the soffritto (carrots, onion, & celery) to the same pot used to brown the short ribs, seasoning with salt & ground black pepper. Stirring occasionally, until the soffritto is starting to brown. Add in the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Now mix in the tomato paste well and cook 2-3 minutes, until browned.
Deglaze by increasing the heat to medium-high, pour the red wine into the pot. Stir constantly, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the wine has reduced a good amount.
Tie the fresh herbs together using kitchen twine and add to the pot with the bay leaves, crushed tomatoes, beef stock, parmesan rind (if using), and short ribs.
Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a low. Cover & simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 1/2 – 3 hours, or until the short ribs are fall-apart tender. If the ragu begins to reduce too much (i.e. it loses too much of its liquid too quickly), you can add in more broth and reduce the heat further.
Carefully transfer the short ribs to a cutting board and remove the spent herbs, bay leaves, & parmesan rind from the pot. Using 2 forks, shred the short ribs into bite-sized pieces and toss the bones. Return the shredded short ribs to the pot with the ragu. At this point, you can cool & store for later use or continue simmering on low as you cook the pasta.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water, and add to the ragu.
Add the cooked pasta to the pot with the braised short rib ragu sauce, tossing to coat.
Serve and top with grated parmesan, fresh basil, and crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
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TIP #1: Beef short rib ragu sauce stores incredibly well – it’s the type of thing that gets even better as it sits & its flavors have the chance to meld together. So if you are making this for a dinner party, feel free to make the ragu a day or two in advance. About an hour before people arrive you can take the ragu out of the fridge and put it on the stove on low. Stir it occasionally and check for thickness. It will continue to reduce if you leave it uncovered.
TIP #2: You can also prepare the ragu in a slow cooker… You will just need to transfer the liquid to a dutch oven to reduce as you shred the meat.
