Short Rib Ragu Comfort (Printable Recipe)
Short ribs fall apart in a rich tomato-wine gravy, piled onto dreamy parmesan mash for a real homey, classic vibe.
# Ingredients You'll Need:
→ For the Ragu
01 -
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
02 -
6 fresh parsley sprigs
03 -
480 ml extra water (if needed), plus 480 ml regular water
04 -
1 can (795 g) whole San Marzano tomatoes with their juice
05 -
8 g plain flour
06 -
30 g tomato paste
07 -
3 garlic cloves, minced finely
08 -
1 diced onion
09 -
2 diced celery stalks
10 -
3 diced carrots
11 -
30 ml vegetable oil
12 -
1.36 kg boneless short ribs, dry and sprinkled with salt and pepper
13 -
480 ml dry red wine
→ For the Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
14 -
3 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional as garnish)
15 -
Salt and pepper, however much you like
16 -
75 g parmesan, grated well
17 -
60 g sour cream
18 -
60 g unsalted butter
19 -
3 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
# Steps to Follow:
01 -
Scoop the cheesy mashed potatoes into bowls first. Add a big pile of that beefy sauce on top. Throw on some chopped parsley if you like it. Get it to the table hot.
02 -
Mix in parmesan and sour cream into your mash until it’s creamy all over. Taste and add more salt or pepper if you want.
03 -
Boil your cut-up potatoes in salted water until they’re totally soft. Drain well, then toss them back in the pot. Add butter and mash everything until smooth.
04 -
While the sauce thickens, pull the meat into bites using forks. When the sauce looks rich, throw in all the shredded beef and mix it up.
05 -
Let the strained liquid simmer away on medium-high, skimming off any fat that floats up. Stir now and then until the sauce gets nice and thick—at least 30 minutes.
06 -
Take out the pot from the oven. Pull out the short ribs and set them aside for a bit. Pour everything left through a strainer into a big saucepan, push to get out all the juice, then get rid of what’s left in the strainer.
07 -
Once it’s all bubbling pretty well, cover the pot and slide it into the hot oven. Cook for two to three hours—check after two. You want the beef falling apart.
08 -
Nestle those browned ribs back in so they’re covered in the sauce. Drop in the parsley sprigs. Pour in extra water if the meat isn’t fully under.
09 -
Pour in your wine and let it bubble, scraping the bottom with a spoon to grab all those stuck bits. Throw in the whole tomatoes and their juice, breaking them up with a wooden spoon. Add your water too.
10 -
Toss in your tomato paste and stir till the veggies are coated. Add the flour and keep mixing until it disappears. Cook for a few minutes longer, just to get rid of any raw taste.
11 -
Lower the heat to medium and add your diced onion, celery, and carrots. Stir them around until they’re soft—takes about 10 minutes. Add garlic and keep going for a couple more minutes.
12 -
Add vegetable oil to a big Dutch oven and crank up the heat to medium-high. Sear your short ribs in a few batches so the pan’s not crowded. Flip them around until they’re deeply brown all over, then move them to a plate.
13 -
Turn your oven on to 175°C or 350°F to start heating up.
# Extra Tips:
01 -
Getting the short ribs deeply browned adds way more flavor and texture. When pouring wine or water, scrape those browned bits off the bottom for the tastiest sauce.