This rich and creamy red wine braised short rib ragù with pappardelle pasta will warm you up from the inside out! Top it off with a mountain of parmesan cheese and a bold glass of red wine and you’ve got the coziest dinner ever!
Cooking these short ribs will fill your home with the most incredible aroma! There’s something extra special about a slow-cooked meal, it’s a true labor of love! Tender, succulent, falling off the bone, braised short ribs make for the perfect Sunday supper, date night meal or dinner to impress!
This ragù is finished with pappardelle and mascarpone cheese. Alternatively, you can serve it with Creamy Parmesan polenta or Whipped Potatoes.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make braised short rib ragù. Check out the recipe card below for ingredient notes and substitutions!
Recipe Step by Step
Step 1. Sear the Ribs
The first step of any braise is to sear the meat. Searing the short ribs caramelizes them and creates a rich, deeply flavorful sauce. Season the ribs on all sides and sear until golden-brown.
Step 2. Sauté the Vegetables
In the rendered fat from the seared short ribs, sauté the diced carrot, onion and garlic, then add in the tomato paste. Cook the tomato paste for about three minutes then deglaze with red wine.
Step 3. Simmer The Short Ribs
Add the short ribs back into the pan along with the thyme and chicken stock. Bring the stock to a simmer then cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours or until the ribs are fork tender.
What does fork-tender mean? Fork tender refers to meat that can be easily pierced with a fork without resistance and easily falls apart with very little pressure. Think: ribs falling off the bone, pot roast, or BBQ pork shoulder.
Step 4. Shred the Meat
Pull the tender, braised ribs from the pot and set them aside until they’re cool enough to handle. Pull out the bones and excess fat then use your hands or two forks to shred the meat, then return to the pot.
Step 4. Serve
Whisk the mascarpone cheese into the sauce, taste and season with salt and pepper then gently fold in the cooked pappardelle. Divide between plates and top with grated parmesan cheese!
FAQS and Expert Tips
Beef short ribs are.. you guessed it.. a cut of beef from the rib of a cow! Short ribs fall into the braising category of meats along with brisket, chuck and rump roast. Prior to cooking they are tough and full of connective tissue. When cooked low and slow, short ribs transform into the most tender and succulent fall apart beef you will ever have!
On the stove top short ribs take between 2.5-3 hours to cook. In the oven it’s about the same. In a slow cooker they can take between 5-8 hours and in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker they’re ready in under an hour.
Yes, you can use a slow cooker or Instant Pot to make Short Rib Ragù.
Slow-Cooker: Sear the meat and sauté the vegetables in a separate pot, deglaze with the wine then add to the slow cooker with the chicken stock. Cook on low for 8 hours or 5 hours on high.
Instant Pot: Sear the meat and sauté the vegetables in a separate pot, deglaze with the wine then add to the slow cooker with the chicken stock. Choose the manual high pressure function and set it to high. Cook the short ribs for 45 minutes, followed by a 10 – 15 minute natural release.
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Short Rib Ragù with Pappardelle
Ingredients
- 3 lbs bone in short ribs
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 large carrots peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped or grated
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 c red wine
- 4 cups chicken stock or beef stock
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- ¼ c mascarpone cheese
- ½ lb pappardelle pasta pappardelle is typically sold in 8.8oz packages which is perfect for this recipe
- 1 c grated parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat a large dutch oven, or large pot with a lid, to medium-high heat. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper, add a splash of oil to the pan, then sear the ribs on all sides until golden brown. You may need to do this in batches. Remove the short ribs from the pan and set aside.
- Turn the heat down to medium and sauté the carrots, onions and garlic until soft and fragrant. Next, stir in the tomato paste, cook for 2-3 minutes, then deglaze with the wine. Let the wine reduce by half.
- Add the short ribs back into the pan along with the chicken stock and thyme. Bring to a simmer then cover and reduce the heat to low. Let the ribs gently simmer on the stovetop, or in a preheated 350F oven for 2.5-3 hours. Check them every hour or so, stirring the bottom of the pot to ensure the braising liquid isn't scorching. Use a ladle to skim away the excess fat that forms at the surface.
- The ribs are done cooking when the bones are falling out and the meat is fork-tender. At this point remove them from the pot and set aside until they are cool enough to handle. Discard the thyme stems from the pot as well, then use an immersion blender to blend the sauce and break up the carrots and onion. If you don't have an immersion blender you can just blend 1 cup of the braising liquid in a regular blender. Skipping blending all together is fine too, the sauce will just be a little bit thinner.
- Remove and discard the bones and any excess fat or cartilage from the ribs then shred the meat with your hands or two forks and add it back into the braising liquid.
- Turn off the heat then fold in the mascarpone cheese. Lastly, add the cooked pappardelle to the pan and toss it with the ragù. Divide between bowls and serve immediately with lots of shaved parmesan on top.
Notes
- Bone-in Short Ribs: This recipe will work great with any almost any cut of braising meat like; chuck, brisket, or rump or bottom roast. Just be sure to cut down larger cuts of beef into smaller, pieces. Boneless short ribs are fine too.
- Tomato Paste: Substitute ½ c canned, crushed tomatoes.
- Red Wine: Cabaret sauvignon or pinot noir. For alcohol-free use extra chicken stock.
- Chicken Stock: Beef broth works too.
- Mascarpone: Sour cream, cream cheese or even regular ol’ heavy whipping cream will do!
- Pappardelle: Egg noodles are a perfect substitute or you can even serve this ragu over creamy polenta or mashed potaotes.
- Slow-Cooker Instructions: Sear the meat and sauté the vegetables in a separate pot, deglaze with the wine then add to the slow cooker with the chicken stock. Cook on low for 8 hours or 5 hours on high. Proceed to Step 4.
- Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot: Sear the meat and sauté the vegetables in a separate pot, deglaze with the wine then add to the slow cooker with the chicken stock. Choose the manual high pressure function and set it to high. Cook the short ribs for 45 minutes, followed by a 10 – 15 minute natural release. Proceed to Step 4.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium/low heat or in the microwave with a splash of water.
David Williams
Trying it out with beef shanks right now because short ribs were too pricey and I’m a marrow slut. Wish me luck!
Leigh
Beef shanks should work perfectly! Good Luck!
Addie
I made this a few weeks ago when I saw it on Tik Tok and it was so good! Am planning on making a huge batch of it for my dads birthday this weekend, just wondering if you think there are any tips or tweaks that I should make if I plan on making slightly more than double the recipe
Leigh Hyatt Anderson
Hi Addie! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe. 🙂 You shouldn’t have any trouble doubling or even tripling the recipe. Just make sure you use a big enough pot and leave yourself an extra hour of cooking time just in case. Making the ragù the day before is also a good option to save yourself some effort on the day of. Good luck!
Alyssa
Wow! So rich and delicious! Made no changes to the recipe and it turned out just perfect! Thank you for sharing!!!
Leigh Hyatt Anderson
Thank you Alyssa! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Gabby
This was soooooo delicious! I found you on TikTok and had to make this right away. I did the instant pot directions at the bottom of the recipe and everything came out tender and perfect.
My sauce was a little runny but I just mixed a little corn starch with some chicken stock and that did the trick. Thank you for this recipe, I’m a fan of yours now.
Leigh Hyatt Anderson
Thank you so much for this sweet message Gabby! So smart of you to add a little corn starch to the sauce, I may just add that tip to the recipe notes!
Effie A Rodriguez
great flavor but I didnt expect it to be so soupy
Leigh Hyatt Anderson
Hi Effie, Sounds like you need to reduce the sauce a bit more next time. After you take the ribs out, let the braising liquid simmer a bit more so that it’s not “soupy”. The sauce should be creamy and velvety and coat the pasta!