Hearty pappardelle pasta topped with braised beef ragu and parmesan, served in a blue-rimmed bowl on a blue and white tiled table alongside carafes of red wine and wooden utensils.
medium

Short Rib Ragù

Short rib ragù features bone-in beef braised low and slow until fork-tender, then shredded into a thick tomato gravy. Rich beef chunks coat wide pasta strands. The meat falls apart easily and the sauce grips every noodle for a hearty, savory meal.

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30m prep + 3h 45m cook
6 servings
Italy, Emilia-Romagna

What You'll Need

  • 1.8 kg bone in short rib
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 medium carrot
  • 2 celery stalk
  • 4 garlic clove
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 250 ml dry red wine
  • 800 g passata
  • 500 ml beef stock
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary(optional)
  • 2 bay leaf
  • 1 parmesan rind(optional)

Let's Get Cooking

  1. 1

    Pat the short ribs dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the ribs in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms and the meat pulls away easily from the pot. Transfer the ribs to a plate.

    ~15m

    Do not crowd the pot or the meat will steam instead of searing.

  2. 2

    Lower the heat to medium. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook while stirring until the vegetables soften and the edges begin to brown. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste, stirring for 2 minutes until the paste darkens and sticks slightly to the bottom.

    ~10m

    The vegetables should glisten and release a sweet aroma before adding the garlic.

  3. 3

    Pour in the red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer the liquid until it has reduced by half and the sharp scent of alcohol has mellowed.

    ~5m

    This process deglazes the pan and concentrates the flavor.

  4. 4

    Stir in the passata, beef stock, rosemary, bay leaves, and parmesan rind. Place the ribs back into the pot so they are half-submerged in the liquid. Bring the mixture to a simmer.

    ~5m

    Ensure the liquid is deep red and the herbs are well distributed.

  5. 5

    Cover the pot and transfer it to a 150C oven or set it to the lowest possible simmer on the stovetop. Cook for 3 hours until the meat is tender enough to be pierced easily with a fork and is nearly falling off the bone.

    ~3h

    Check the pot halfway through and add a splash of water if the sauce looks too dry.

  6. 6

    Remove the pot from the heat. Take out the bones, bay leaves, and rosemary sprigs. Shred the meat into the sauce using two forks. Simmer the sauce uncovered for 10 minutes to allow it to thicken and coat the meat shreds properly.

    ~10m

    Adjust the salt after shredding as the meat will have absorbed the savory braising liquid.

Goes Great With

Rigatoni

great

The large tubes trap chunky meat and broth inside, so each bite provides a concentrated burst of sauce.

Pappardelle

perfect

Wide ribbons are ideal for catching thick meat shreds and heavy gravy, ensuring the sauce fills every fold.

Tagliatelle

perfect

These flat strands are traditional for Bolognese-style sauces and hold the glossy sauce and beef bits evenly.

Orecchiette

good

The small ear shapes act as cups for the sauce and offer a structural contrast to the soft flakes of shredded meat.

The Story Behind the Sauce

Slowly braised short rib ragù builds on traditions from Emilia-Romagna, where meat stews evolved into pasta sauces in the late 18th century. Unlike versions using ground meat, this recipe uses bone-in short ribs to extract deep flavor from marrow and connective tissue. The dish is rooted in the resourceful cooking of rural Italy, where tough cuts were transformed into rich sauces through long, slow heat. The flavor profile is centered on beef, supported by a base of sautéed onion, carrot, and celery. Tomato provides acidity to balance the fat, while red wine and herbs add depth. After hours in the oven, the meat becomes tender enough to shred with a fork, creating a sauce that is thick, glossy, and rich. This method produces a gelatinous body and silkiness that defines a true slow-cooked ragù. It is best served over wide pasta that can support the weight of the meat.