There is something incredibly moreish about red wine braised beef short ribs. The unctuous meat just falls off of the bone and makes the perfect ragu. Meat sauce lovers will fall in love with this rich sauce flavored with classic soffrito (onion, celery and carrot), garlic and fresh herbs. It’s perfect served with polenta, creamy mashed potatoes or pappardelle pasta.
Ingredients
Full short rib ragu recipe can be found in the recipe card.
Beef short ribs. I used whole, sliced ribs but feel free to use the shorter cut most often found in supermarkets and butchers. Onion. Carrots. Celery. Garlic cloves. Fresh rosemary. Fresh thyme. Bay leaf. Red wine. I used Cabernet Sauvignon but Pinot Noir, Merlot or Chianti will all be delicious. Beef stock / Beef broth. Tomato paste. Salt and pepper.
For the creamy polenta.
Polenta. Chicken stock / water. Cream. Butter. Parmesan. Salt and pepper.
How to make short rib ragu
How to make creamy polenta
While the short ribs are braising, bring the water or stock for the polenta to the boil in a medium sized pot. Once boiling, whisk in the polenta. Whisk continuously until the polenta starts to thicken then turn down the heat. Allow to cook for 10 minutes, covered. Stir in the cream and season with salt then cover and cook for another 10 minutes. Once cooked, stir in the butter and Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Turn off the heat and leave covered until ready to serve.
What to serve with short rib ragu
Creamy mashed potatoes Maple butter mashed sweet potatoes Easy crusty bread
Ragu recipes
