Short Rib Ragu (Print-Friendly Version)

Slow-cooked short ribs in rich wine sauce, falling apart with tenderness and served over creamy parmesan mashed potatoes.

# What You Need:

→ For the Ragu

01 - 3 pounds boneless short ribs, patted dry and seasoned with salt and pepper
02 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
03 - 3 carrots, diced
04 - 2 ribs of celery, diced
05 - 1 onion, diced
06 - 3 cloves of garlic, minced
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
08 - 1 tablespoon flour
09 - 1 can (800g) whole San Marzano plum tomatoes with juice
10 - 2 cups red wine
11 - 2 cups water
12 - 6 sprigs fresh parsley
13 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

14 - 3 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
15 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter
16 - 1/4 cup sour cream
17 - 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
18 - Salt and pepper to taste
19 - 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
02 - Heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven. Working in batches to avoid crowding, brown the short ribs on all sides until well caramelized. Remove browned ribs and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium and add diced carrots, celery, and onion to the same pot. Cook for about 10 minutes until vegetables have softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.
04 - Stir tomato paste into the vegetable mixture until evenly coated. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir to incorporate. Continue cooking for 3 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
05 - Pour in the red wine and increase heat until the mixture begins to simmer. Use a wooden spoon to scrape all browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
06 - Add the tomatoes with their juice and 2 cups of water. Break up the whole tomatoes using your spoon. Return the short ribs to the pot, ensuring they're completely submerged in liquid. Add more water if necessary. Add the parsley sprigs.
07 - Bring the mixture to a strong simmer on the stovetop, then cover the pot, remove from heat, and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 2-3 hours until the beef is fork-tender and shreds easily.
08 - Once meat is tender, remove short ribs from the pot and set aside. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a large saucepan, pressing on solids to extract maximum flavor before discarding them. Bring the strained sauce to a simmer over medium-high heat and reduce for approximately 30 minutes, periodically skimming fat from the surface.
09 - While the sauce reduces, shred the short ribs using two forks. Once the sauce has thickened, add the shredded meat and stir to combine thoroughly.
10 - Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the quartered potatoes and cook until fork-tender. Drain thoroughly and return potatoes to the pot. Add butter and mash until incorporated. Stir in sour cream and Parmesan cheese, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
11 - Spoon the rich short rib ragu over the Parmesan mashed potatoes. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley if desired.

# Additional Tips:

01 - For make-ahead preparation, complete the ragu up to one day in advance, cool completely, and refrigerate. Reheat in a saucepan before serving, adding a splash of red wine, water, or beef stock if needed to adjust consistency.
02 - The ragu pairs beautifully with pasta or buttered egg noodles as alternatives to mashed potatoes.
03 - Fresh mashed potatoes are recommended for best results - prepare them while the sauce reduces.

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