This classic Short Rib Bolognese is a hearty and heartwarming dish that you will crave after your first bite. If I could eat this every day, I just might!
Ingredients
This is a classic recipe and the ingredient list reflects that. Carrots, Celery, and Onions that create a classic mirepoix, and San Marzano tomatoes from the motherland. The result is a decadent sauce that you will just want to bathe in!
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and instructions.
Method
Making this sauce is a long process, BUT, it does not require a lot of active work or babysitting. Once you get the initial sauce put together, the short ribs just have to simmer for a few hours until very tender.
First, sear the short ribs until they are browned on all sides. Then remove them from the pan and set them aside.
Then saute the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in the remaining fat at the bottom of the pan until browned. Deglaze with the wine and add the tomato paste. Crush the tomatoes by hand as you add them to the pan and then nestle the ribs back into the pot.
At this point, the ribs need to simmer in the sauce for 3-4 hours until they are so tender they can shred with a fork. After the 4 hours, I let them cool and refrigerate them overnight. I do this so I can remove the fat from the sauce. I put on a glove and remove as much as possible.
When you are ready to finish the short ribs, now that the fat is removed, bring the sauce to a simmer over low heat and the ribs remove easily. Take them out of the pot and remove the bone, and shred or dice the meat, removing any excess fat you find on them.
Return the meat to the pot and add the cream and red pepper flakes. Return the sauce to a simmer, stirring often, for 15-20 minutes. The sauce is now ready to be served over pasta or polenta. Serve with lots of parmesan cheese on top and some basil if you like.
Notes & Tips
If you would like to eat this sauce at the end of the 4 hours braising period, as opposed to letting them cool fully and removing the fat by hand. After searing the ribs remove all the fat from the pan, leaving behind only 1 tablespoon of fat to sautee the vegetable in. Then your sauce will be ready to be finished in one day.
After cooking the short ribs, when you are ready to shred or dice them, remove any hard fat pieces that remain after taking out the bones. Short ribs have a tough, rubberband-like piece of fat that holds the meat to the bone. You will want to make sure you get that out for a more pleasurable eating experience.
For a nice finished sauce, you want to ensure your vegetables are diced nice and small. You could also throw everything in a food processor and pulse them together until they are finely chopped.
Substitutions
You can use bone-in or boneless short ribs for this recipe. Boneless will cook a little faster, and this may be preferred if you want to finish the whole recipe in one day.
If you would like to keep this dairy-free, omit the butter and replace the heavy cream with cashew milk to retain the richness.
Red or White wine can be used in this recipe, red would offer a deeper flavor. If you want to omit alcohol, you can replace it completely with chicken stock.
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📖 Recipe
Short Rib Bolognese
This classic Short Rib Bolognese is so hearty and heartwarming that you'll crave it all the time once you have your first taste!
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lbs Beef Short Ribs
- 2 tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 cup Carrots, finely diced
- 3 Celery Stalks, finely diced
- 1 cup Yellow Onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons Garlic, minced
- Kosher Salt
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 1 ½ cups White Wine
- 28 oz San Marzano Whole Tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons Granulated Sugar
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- 1-2 pinches, Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- Season the short ribs generously on all sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large, 5-quart or more, dutch oven to medium-high heat.
- Add the butter and olive oil to the hot pan and once they melted add the short ribs
- Cook short ribs until brown and crusty on ALL sides. This should take 10 minutes or so. Prep the veg while they cook.
- After the short ribs brown, remove them to a plate and let them rest till needed.
- Remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the bottom of the pan and add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to the pot along with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook until softened and the onions are translucent, 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste alone, then the wine. Simmer until reduced, 2-3 minutes.
- Season with 1 more teaspoon salt and add the canned tomatoes, crushing them in your hand as you add them, along with the sugar. Stir to combine.
- Place the short ribs back in the pot and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat too low and place the lid on the pot. Cook on low, 3-4hours or until the meat is fork-tender and falling off the bone. How long the short ribs need to cook depends on how large they are. Check on them at the three-hour mark and see if they can be shredded. If the bone doesn’t just fall out and the meat is super tender, continue to cook until they can be. Note: I place mine in on their sides, and turn them over halfway thru cooking.
- If at this point the sauce has severely thickened and anything is sticking to the bottom of the pan, stir in a splash or two of wine to loosen the sauce.
- When the meat is tender, and the bones will fall out, remove the bones and turn off the heat on the pot. Remove the lid and take the pot off the stove. Let the mixture cool to room temp, for 1-2 hours. Then place the pot in the fridge with the lid back on overnight, for up to 3 days.
- When ready to eat, remove any cold fat that rises to the top of the pot during cooling and bring the mixture back to warm over low heat until the sauce moves freely and you can stir everything easily.
- Remove the short ribs from the pot and dice or shred them.
- Stir the heavy cream into the remaining sauce in the pan and ring the sauce to a simmer over medium-low heat.
- Return the shredded or diced short meat to the pot.
- Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if needed. Stir in the red pepper flakes. Simmer 15-20 minutes longer.
- Serve over pasta or polenta with lots of fresh parmesan grated over the top!
Notes
Notes & Tips
If you would like to eat this sauce at the end of the 4 hours braising period, as opposed to letting them cool fully and removing the fat by hand. After searing the ribs remove all the fat from the pan, leaving behind only 1 tablespoon of fat to sautee the vegetable in. Then your sauce will be ready to be finished in one day.
After cooking the short ribs, when you are ready to shred or dice them, remove any hard fat pieces that remain after taking out the bones. Short ribs have a tough, rubberband-like piece of fat that holds the meat to the bone. You will want to make sure you get that out for a more pleasurable eating experience.
For a nice finished sauce, you want to ensure your vegetables are diced nice and small. You could also throw everything in a food processor and pulse them together until they are finely chopped.
Substitutions
You can use bone-in or boneless short ribs for this recipe. Boneless will cook a little faster, and this may be preferred if you want to finish the whole recipe in one day.
If you would like to keep this dairy-free, omit the butter and replace the heavy cream with cashew milk to retain the richness.
Red or White wine can be used in this recipe, red would offer a deeper flavor. If you want to omit alcohol, you can replace it completely with chicken stock.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 609Total Fat: 42gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 166mgSodium: 176mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 3gSugar: 7gProtein: 38g
This is an estimated caloric value, actual numbers may differ based on the ingredients used.
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