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Short Rib Ragu Braised Comfort (Printable Version)

Slow-braised short ribs in savory tomato wine sauce, paired with creamy parmesan mashed potatoes for classic comfort.

# Ingredients:

→ For the Ragu

01 - 1.36 kg boneless short ribs, patted dry and seasoned with salt and pepper
02 - 30 ml vegetable oil
03 - 3 carrots, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 1 onion, diced
06 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 30 g tomato paste
08 - 8 g plain flour
09 - 1 can (795 g) whole San Marzano plum tomatoes with juice
10 - 480 ml dry red wine
11 - 480 ml water, plus extra as needed
12 - 6 sprigs fresh parsley
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ For the Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

14 - 3 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
15 - 60 g unsalted butter
16 - 60 g sour cream
17 - 75 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
18 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
19 - 3 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional, for garnish)

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F).
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, brown short ribs on all sides until deeply caramelized. Remove browned ribs and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add diced carrots, celery, and onion to the pot. Sauté until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes longer.
04 - Add tomato paste and mix to evenly coat vegetables. Sprinkle in flour and stir until vegetables are coated. Continue cooking for several minutes.
05 - Pour in red wine and bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pot to incorporate browned bits. Add whole tomatoes with juice, breaking tomatoes apart with a wooden spoon. Stir in water.
06 - Place browned short ribs back into the pot, ensuring they are submerged in liquid. Add fresh parsley sprigs. Add more water if needed.
07 - Bring to a strong simmer over medium-high heat, then cover. Transfer the pot to the preheated oven. Braise for 2 to 3 hours, checking at the 2-hour mark, until beef is fork-tender and shreds easily.
08 - Remove pot from oven. Set short ribs aside. Pass contents through a fine mesh strainer into a large saucepan, pressing on solids to extract all liquid. Discard solids.
09 - Simmer strained sauce over medium-high heat for at least 30 minutes, occasionally skimming off surface fat, until thickened and rich.
10 - While sauce reduces, shred short ribs using forks. Once sauce is thick, stir shredded beef back in and mix thoroughly.
11 - Boil peeled and quartered potatoes in a large pot of salted water until tender. Drain and return potatoes to pot. Add unsalted butter and mash until smooth.
12 - Add sour cream and grated parmesan cheese to potatoes. Stir until creamy and combined. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
13 - Spoon parmesan mashed potatoes into bowls. Top generously with short rib ragu. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

# Notes:

01 - For optimal texture and depth of flavor, ensure the short ribs are well browned during searing. Deglazing thoroughly enhances the sauce richness.

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