Lazy Overnight Beef Short Rib Ragu
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If you are looking for the Original One Day Version of my Beef Short Rib Ragu, it’s here.
This is a simplified version of my original Beef Short Rib Ragu, which can be made in one day, but is a bit more labor intensive. This version requires a little bit of pre-planning (as it is made over 2 days), but is more hands-off and streamlined. And I know. You looked at the length of the ingredient list for this dish and groaned. It is a bit lengthy, but most of the ingredients you likely already have in your pantry. And trust me, the results are worth the effort.
Short ribs are one of those cuts of meat that are unnecessarily intimidating. Unlike steaks or roasting cuts, they are practically impossible to ruin. After a quick sear, you will cook them low and slow until they practically fall off the bone. The hardest part of preparing short ribs typically is defatting the braising liquid, but because we are making the dish over two days, this is super easy. All you need to do is refrigerate the short ribs after they have finished braising, and pull the hardened fat off the top of the dish the next day.
For the braising liquid, I prefer a combination of ruby Port wine and red wine. The Port wine adds a little sweetness which I absolutely adore. Yes, you can make them without Port wine, and use regular red wine (I do this when I’m out of Port wine), but I like the kiss of sweetness. It is also possible to braise the short ribs entirely in beef stock if you have no wine. The braising liquid will be lighter in color, but still very flavorful.
Once the short ribs are done braising, you will shred the meat, defat the braising liquid, and add the meat and the liquid to your simple tomato sauce. The result is nothing short of heavenly!
Now for the big question – what to serve the Short Rib Ragu with? Pasta is a no brainer, as is gnocchi, but it is lovely on top of polenta, risotto or even spaghetti squash, for a lighter option.
Also: You may be confused about the addition of soy sauce at the end as this is a very Italian feeling dish. I have learned that adding the trifecta of balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce to any beef braise makes it taste absolutely heavenly. Try it and I’m sure you’ll be convinced!
Ingredients
2 medium carrots, peeled
2 ribs celery
1 large onions
1 tbsp grapeseed or other neutral oil
4 lbs. English cut short ribs, trimmed of excess fat and silver skin (about 6 short ribs)
3-4 garlic cloves
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups red wine (I prefer half red wine and half ruby Port, but use what you got)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1-2 cups beef broth
4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
24 oz. tomato puree (unsalted)
2-3 tsp Italian seasoning
1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1-2 tsp sugar (optional- depends on the natural sweetness of the tomato puree)
Kosher salt
black pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325° (F) and adjust oven rack to the lower middle position. Cut the carrots, celery, and onion into large, 2 inch chunks and coarsely chop the garlic cloves.
- Heat the grapeseed oil in a 6 quart Dutch oven (“pot”) over medium-high heat. Season the short ribs with 2 tsp Kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. When the oil is hot, brown the short ribs on all sides. Remove the short ribs from the pot and transfer to a large platter.
- Remove and discard all but 2 tbsp of fat from the pot and return the pot to the burner, reducing the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots and celery, and cook until the vegetables begin to soften and brown slightly, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste and stir into the vegetables, cooking for another 3-5 minutes.
- Add the short ribs back to the pot, nestling them into the vegetables. Add the thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, and wine to the pot. Add the soy sauce and the Worcestershire sauce to the pot then add enough broth to the pot to come to the tops of ribs. Bring the liquids to a boil over high heat.
- Cover the pot and place it in the oven. Cook the short ribs for 3 1/2 hours. Allow to cook to room temperature then refrigerate overnight.
- Day 2: Remove the pot from the refrigerator and immediately removed the hardened fat that covers the top of the short ribs, picking out any large pieces of veggies that stick to it and putting it back in the pot.
- Place the lid back on the pot and reheat the short ribs over medium low heat. Once you are able to dislodge them easily, remove the short ribs and any bones from the pot and set aside. Remove the thyme and rosemary sprigs and discard.
- Use your immersion blender to blend the remaining veggies and liquid in the pot. Add the tomato puree, Italian seasoning, balsamic vinegar and sugar (if using) and stir to combine.
- Using two forks, remove the short rib meat from the bones and shred it into bite sized pieces. Discard any large globules of fat and any large pieces of cartilage.
- Add the shredded short rib meat into the tomato sauce. Stir and simmer over medium low heat for 30 minutes (or longer if you like), stirring occasionally. Season to taste with Kosher salt and black pepper and serve Short Rib Ragu over your favorite pasta, polenta, or veggies with lots of Parmesan cheese on top.
Sarah Faris: The salad Whisperer
Sarah is a classically trained chef and Mom whose passion is spreading the gospel of salad. A native New Yorker, she now calls Miami, FL home.
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