Braised Short Rib Ragù over Pappardelle

This is the ragù that makes people go quiet at the table. Short ribs braised until they collapse into a deep, wine-dark sauce that clings to wide ribbons of pappardelle. It is a labor of love that mostly loves you back while it sits in the oven.

Save it for a night you want to impress without seeming to try. The bones give up their marrow into the sauce; the soffritto disappears into it; the wine reduces down until every spoonful tastes like it has been going all day.

Soundtrack from Vol. IV: Nessun Dorma — Giacomo Puccini. Slow-building, then triumphant. A short rib ragù rewards the wait with the same soaring payoff.

Chapter: Fun Nights  ·  Cuisine: Italian  ·  Volume: Vol. IV — Comfort

Ingredients

• 3 lbs bone-in beef short ribs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion — finely diced
• 1 medium carrot — finely diced
• 1 celery stalk — finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic — minced
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
• 2 cups beef stock
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 lb pappardelle
• ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano — freshly grated, plus more for serving

Method

1. Prep the short ribs. Pat the short ribs very dry — wet meat will not brown. Season generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes if you have the time.
2. Sear hard. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sear the short ribs, bone-side up first, for 3 to 4 minutes per side until every surface is a deep, mahogany brown. Work in batches; do not crowd the pot. Transfer to a plate.
3. Build the soffritto. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables are soft and taking on a little color. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
4. Deglaze with wine. Pour in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to lift all the browned bits. Simmer until reduced by half, about 4 minutes. This step is not optional — the raw wine edge disappears here.
5. Build the braise. Add the crushed tomatoes, beef stock, rosemary sprigs, and bay leaf. Stir to combine. Nestle the short ribs back into the pot along with any juices from the plate. The liquid should come about two-thirds up the sides of the ribs.
6. Braise low and long. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and slide into a 325°F oven for about 3 hours, until the meat is falling off the bones and the sauce has darkened and thickened.
7. Shred and marry. Lift the short ribs out. Pull the meat from the bones, discarding bones and any excess fat. Shred the meat with two forks and return it to the pot. Fish out the rosemary stems and bay leaf. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes to marry the meat with the sauce — this final step is what turns braised beef and tomato into a true ragù.
8. Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pappardelle until just shy of al dente, about 1 minute less than the package says. Reserve a cup of pasta water and drain.
9. Toss and finish. Add the pasta to the pot with the ragù. Toss over medium heat for 1 minute, adding a splash of pasta water if needed to loosen. Off heat, add the Parmigiano and toss until glossy.
10. Serve. Plate in wide, shallow bowls. More Parmigiano on top. A crack of pepper. That's dinner.

Cook with intention. Feel and taste your way through it. Keep one clog in the kitchen. Always.
— Brian W. Bonanno