Short Rib Bolognese
Short rib bolognese is slow-braised in tomatoes, red wine, garlic, onions, diced veggies, and herbs with a cream-parmesan finish. So good!
Equipment
- Large Pot or Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Bone-In Short Ribs
- 2 tbsp Salted Butter
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 4 pcs Bacon, cut into chunks, (or 1/2 lb pancetta cut into chunks)
- 1 large Yellow Onion, (diced)
- 2 Shallots, (diced)
- 2 Carrots, (diced)
- 2 Celery Stalks, (diced)
- 6 oz Tomato Paste
- 4 cloves Garlic , (diced)
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 28 oz Crushed Tomatoes
- 750 ml Dry Red Wine, (one bottle)
- 1 cup Beef Broth
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 4 sprigs Fresh Rosemary
- 3 Fresh Sage Leaves
- 6 sprigs Thyme
- Parmesan Rind, (optional)
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/2 cup Parmesan, (grated)
- 1 lb Papardelle, (or pasta of choice)
- 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley, (chopped)
Instructions
- Season the ribs. Pat the short ribs dry. Season short ribs with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Add butter and olive oil to a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add short ribs and sear on all sides until browned. Remove from the pot and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add bacon and cook until the fat has rendered and the bacon becomes crispy. Then add shallots, onion, carrots, celery, and salt. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Then add tomato paste, garlic, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes and continue to cook for 5 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Then add crushed tomatoes, red wine, and beef broth.
- Tie together bay leaf, thyme, sage, and rosemary with butcher's twine (this simply makes it easier to remove from the pot - this is not necessary, you can simply add the herbs to the sauce).
- Bring to a boil and the herbs and parmesan rind. Cover with a lid, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3-4 hours, until the short ribs are tender and falling apart.
- Remove the bay leaves and parmesan rind. Then, take the short ribs out and remove the bones using a cutting board. Use two forks to spread the meat, then return the shredded meat back to the pot.
- Pour in heavy cream, add grated parmesan, and stir to combine. Remove from heat.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and boil until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta. DO NOT RINSE THE PASTA. (Pro tip: If the bolognese is a bit thick, add some of the pasta water, a little at a time until the desired texture is reached.)
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Sprinkle with additional parmesan and fresh parsley.
Notes
- Nobody likes a greasy bolognese, so skim the excess fat off of the top of the sauce every now and then.
- Wine for depth: Deglaze with red or white wine after browning the meat! This allows you get to all of the flavor from those brown bits at the bottom of the pan (random fact: the browned bits are called "fond". Keep it handy for your next trivia night).
- Don't forget to remove the parmesan rind and bay leaf prior to serving!
- Be careful with the salt!The flavors get concentrated as it cooks, so you might end up with a salt lick if you go too hard too early.
- Be patient! Sweat your aromatics, brown the ribs until they get a golden crust, render the bacon well, and so on. This is how you build big flavors in your bolognese.
Nutrition
Calories: 769kcal, Carbohydrates: 60g, Protein: 39g, Fat: 36g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 154mg, Sodium: 635mg, Potassium: 754mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 1022IU, Vitamin C: 18mg, Calcium: 288mg, Iron: 7mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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