This short rib ragu is nothing short of luxurious; slow cooked on low in a rich red wine and tomato based sauce. If you are wanting to immerse yourself in divine Italian cuisine, without the plane tickets, then this is the dish for you!
I love love love short ribs, especially my braised short ribs recipe. When slow cooked they come out super tender and delicious, so I wanted to make my take on a classic Ragu served with gnocchi. And let me tell you, this was heavenly.
Key Ingredients
- Short ribs are the star of the show here! For this recipe you will need beef short ribs. When buying them, try to choose ones that do not have too much fat or too much bone.
- Red wine adds a gourmet element. It deepens the flavour of the sauce, giving it a comforting richness. The alcohol cooks out of the wine, while also dissolving the fats in the dish releasing their delicious flavours. I typically use merlot in dishes like this, from experience I find it is usually a good all rounder, or pinot noir.
- Beef stock is the key liquid for the broth. I use store bought stock for convenience, but if you have your own homemade stock then that is great too! Using beef stock plays a key role in elevating the flavours of the short rib ragu, a great umami boost.
- Tomatoes in both the paste and whole variety. Tomato paste builds on the richness and luxuriousness of the dish. Then I also use tinned whole and peeled tomatoes. Together, these forms of tomatoes build on the depth in flavour. I suggest going for better quality, as I used cheaper tomatoes and it ended up being too watery.
- Aromatics are onion and garlic, they help build the base for the flavour of this short rib ragu. Adding a sweet and caramelised depth to the dish.
- Carrot gotta sneak some vegetables in there somehow! Carrot is a perfect addition for adding nutritional value to this short rib ragu. It has a subtle naturally sweet flavour, but does not overpower the dish.
- Seasonings are simply italian herbs with salt. Italian herbs bring a classic earthy tone to the sauce, adding to the depth of flavour. Salt enhances the overall flavour of this dish.
- Parmesan goes on top at the end. I am a parmesan girly at heart. Parmesan sprinkled on top gives the dish a slightly salty, nutty, flavour.
- Gnocchi is my choice of carbs for this ragu. These pillowy dough balls compliment the short rib ragu perfectly. You could also go for spaghetti or fettuccine.
How to make this scrumptious short rib ragu
Before you start.
First, you are going to want to preheat your oven to 130℃.
Brown the short ribs.
Start by browning the short ribs on high heat in a dutch oven. Cook for a couple minutes on each side, just to get some colour on them. This may need to be done in batches.
Prepare the vegetables.
Whilst the short ribs are browning, it is time to prepare the vegetables. Peel the onion and carrots. Finely dice both of them.
Saute the veggies.
Remove the short ribs from the pot and set aside. Use a dash of the beef stock to deglaze the bottom of the pot. Then add the onion, garlic, and carrot to saute until fragrant.
Build the base flavours.
Now it is time for the italian herbs, tomato paste, and tinned tomatoes. Let these ingredients caramelise for a few minutes, to get rid of any bitterness in the tomato paste.
Time for liquids.
Pour in the red wine and the beef stock. Now, give everything a good stir to combine.
Slow cook the short rib ragu.
Place the short ribs back into the sauce. Make sure they are submerged. Put the lid on the dutch oven, then place the pot into the oven for 4 hours.
Shred the meat.
Once the short ribs have finished cooking, remove the bones. Use a fork or potato masher to shred the meat.
Cook the pasta.
Cook the gnocchi per package instructions, then place in a pan. Add some of the short ribs and sauce to the pan with the gnocchi, then add the parmesan.
Serve the short rib ragu.
Toss everything together. Serve up and enjoy!
Storage
If you have any leftovers from short rib ragu, then it is great to have as leftovers! Let the ragu cool to a lukewarm temperature, then place in an airtight container. Keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. I suggest keeping the ragu and pasta separate if possible.
More cozy recipes:
- Chicken Coconut Curry
- Roast Lamb
- Meatballs n Gravy
- Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon
- Braised Short Ribs
- Brie and Bacon Gnocchi
Alrighty, you should now have everything you need to know to make this tender and succulent short rib ragu! This is not a meal to miss out on. So come, let’s grab those ingredients, and get to cooking!
Short Rib Ragu
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- 3 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup parmesan
- 5 beef short ribs
- 4 cups beef stock
- 2 cups red wine
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tin whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 tbsp italian herbs
- 1 packet gnocchi
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 130℃.
- Start by browning the short ribs on high heat in a dutch oven. Cook for a couple minutes on each side, just to get some colour on them. This may need to be done in batches.
- Whilst the short ribs are browning, it is time to prepare the vegetables. Peel the onion and carrots. Finely dice both of them.
- Remove the short ribs from the pot and set aside. Use a dash of the beef stock to deglaze the bottom of the pot. Then add the onion, garlic, and carrot to saute until fragrant.
- In goes the italian herbs, tomato paste, and tinned tomatoes. Let it caramelise for a few minutes, to get rid of any bitterness.
- Pour in the red wine and the beef stock. Give everything a stir to combine.
- Place the short ribs back into the sauce. Make sure they are submerged. Put the lid on the dutch oven, then place the pot into the oven for 4 hours.
- Once the short ribs have finished cooking, remove the bones. Use a fork or potato masher to shred the meat.
- Cook the gnocchi per package instructions, then place in a pan. Add some of the short ribs and sauce to the pan with the gnocchi, then add the parmesan.
- Toss everything together. Serve up and enjoy!
