Slow Braised Short Rib Ragu with Pappardelle

Key Ingredients, Notes, and Substitutions

• Bone-in beef short ribs: The bone adds extra flavor. When you are ready to shred the meat, be sure to trim off the bone as well as the membrane that is next to it as it tends to be tough.
• Onions, celery, and carrots: Dice your vegetables into ¼ inch dice. Since onions have a tough time cooking once combined with tomatoes, be sure to get your onions nice and soft before adding in the tomato paste and canned tomatoes.
• Tomato paste: I use double-concentrate tomato paste that comes in a tube. Be sure to check your tomato paste-- if it isn't double-concentrate, you'll want to double the amount of tomato paste in the recipe.
• Red wine:  Red wine is traditional in ragus. I like to use dry red wine, such as a Cabernet sauvignon, when cooking. Since the flavors of the wine will come through, make sure it is a wine that you would enjoy drinking, but know that it does not need to be expensive.
• Stock: I like using homemade or high-quality chicken stock or beef stock. The flavors of the stock will show in the final ragu, so using a delicious, flavorful stock will make your ragu all that more tasty! Since it is a beef recipe, beef broth is a bit more fitting but chicken is typically what I have on hand-- either will work. 
• Crushed tomatoes: If your store is out of crushed tomatoes, you can also use whole peeled canned tomatoes and simply mash them with a potato masher or pulse them in the blender or food processor. I once accidentally bought fire-roasted crushed tomatoes and the sauce still turned out delicious-- don't feel like you need to make another trip to the store if you make the same mistake as me!
• Fresh thyme and bay leaves: The fresh herbs add a depth of flavor to the braising liquid.
• Pappardelle pasta: My favorite way of serving this braised ragu with pappardelle! Homemade pasta would be delicious, but to keep things easy I love using Trader Joe's pappardelle. For a gluten-free version, you can toss it with gluten-free pasta or serve it on top of polenta. When serving it over polenta, I like to shred the short ribs in slightly bigger pieces to add extra texture to the soft polenta.

Prep-ahead and storage tips

Braised ragus are excellent to make for company because they taste even better when prepped in advance! You can make this slow braised ragu up to 3 days in advance. Allow the ragu to cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you are ready to enjoy it, skim off any excess fat that rises to the top and then reheat on the stovetop.

You can also freeze this short rib ragu! It should last in an airtight container in the freezer for 2-3 months. Before using, allow it to defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating it on the stovetop.

Expert tips

• This ragu is slow-braised and I do not recommend speeding up the process on this recipe. Low and slow is the name of the game for super tender short ribs.
• Anytime I cook with a bay leaf, I like to occasionally smell the dish as it is cooking. If you smell super strong notes of bay, remove the leaf from the pot.
• The size of your short ribs as well as your stove will affect the total braising time. If you find that your sauce is drying out, add a bit more stock. Because the cooking time can vary, be sure to give yourself enough time for this to cook before dinner. The shredded short rib ragu can be kept on a very low simmer on the stove for a bit before serving. You are better off having extra time rather than not having enough time.
• I like topping my pasta with parmigiano reggiano, but if you want this to be dairy-free, you can totally leave that out. 
• The rich sauce of this ragu makes this dish filling. I typically just serve it with a simple side salad or Caesar salad-- and some garlic bread is always a good idea!