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A bowl of Short Rib Ragu with Pappardelle, garnished with parsley and parmesan cheese.

Short Rib Ragu with Pappardelle

A rich and savory short rib ragu served over tender pappardelle pasta.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Resting Time 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours
Servings: 6 people
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Ragu
  • 2 lbs bone-in beef short ribs trimmed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup dry red wine like Chianti or Merlot
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes 28 ounce
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper or to taste
For Serving
  • 1 lb pappardelle pasta
  • freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
  • fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Equipment

  • Dutch oven
  • Large pot
  • Tongs

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
  2. Pat the short ribs dry and season them generously with salt and pepper.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs on all sides until deeply browned. Remove the ribs from the pot and set aside.
  4. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8-10 minutes.
  5. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
  6. Pour in the red wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer and reduce by half, about 5 minutes.
  7. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Return the seared short ribs to the pot.
  8. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven. Braise for 3 hours, or until the short ribs are very tender and falling off the bone.
  9. Remove the pot from the oven. Carefully remove the short ribs from the sauce. Discard the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf.
  10. Shred the short rib meat using two forks, discarding any bones and excess fat. Return the shredded meat to the sauce.
  11. Taste the ragu and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
  12. While the ragu rests, cook the pappardelle pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente.
  13. Drain the pasta and toss it with the short rib ragu. Serve immediately, garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

Notes

For a smoother sauce, you can strain out the vegetables before shredding the meat, but this is optional.