Short Rib Ragu

This beef short rib ragu is made in the slow cooker and turned into tender, juicy, shredded meat. Packed with veggies and flavor, this slow cooker short rib ragu is a rich pasta sauce that is restaurant worthy.

What are beef short ribs?

• Short ribs come from the rib portion of cows and contains a piece of the rib and varied thickness of meat over.
• Short ribs are how they are cut in size, about 3” thick and cut across the bone. Other styles are flanken and spare ribs, but for this recipe you want to use short ribs.
• Bone-in vs. boneless short ribs: you can get boneless short ribs, but for maximum flavor and best texture, you want to use bone-in short ribs for this recipe.

Ragu elements

• Although the short ribs are the star of the show, this ragu wouldn’t be as flavorful without the supporting ingredients.
• Red wine and tomato: the acid in red wine and tomatoes in this recipe, help break down the tissue in the short ribs and help tenderize the meat.
• Herbs: fresh thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves
• Vegetables: Onions, carrots, celery, and garlic make the ragu more hearty and a great way to eat more veggies.
• Better than bouillon: a bouillon paste that punches up the flavor and umami of the dish.

How-to cook short ribs

• Beef short ribs: when cooked low and slow, short ribs become tender and easily shreddable. Cooked high and fast, short ribs will be tough.
• Liberally salt and pepper short ribs on each side, so the seasoning can penetrate the beef. The salt and pepper will also give you a beautiful sear on each side.
• Searing short ribs before slow cooking: Browning the short ribs on each side prior to slow cooking, will caramelize the outsides of the beef which adds flavor and helps lock moisture within the short rib for juicy tender meat. 
• When searing, don’t crowd the short ribs or else they will just steam instead of brown.

Why do you reduce red wine?

• Once the short ribs are done searing and you’ve transferred to the slow cooker, add in olive oil and onions. Sauté onions for 4 minutes, this gets rid of the strong raw garlic flavor.
• Add in 2 cups red wine and reduce to half the volume. Reducing the red wine cooks off the alcohol and concentrates the flavor, enhancing the flavor of the dish.
• While the wine reduces, use a wooden spoon to scrape up the delicious bits the short ribs left behind on the bottom of the pan (more flavor!).

Setting up the slow cooker

• After searing the short ribs add them to the slow cooker with crushed tomatoes.
• Pour in the reduced red wine and onions
• Add in the rest of the ingredients: carrots, celery, garlic, tomato paste, beef bouillon paste, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves.
• Stir up the ingredients with tongs to evenly disperse and turn on low for 6-8 hours (remember: this dish shouldn’t be cooked on high or the short ribs will be tough).

Shredding the short ribs

• Once the short ribs are done cooking, carefully remove from the crockpot. They are so tender, some of the bones may have already fallen out. Discard the bones.
• Remove the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves as well, discard.
• Using a fork, shred all of the short ribs.
• Removing the fat: in my ragu, I prefer to remove the fatty bits as I shred. Fat gives the meat so much flavor while cooking, but for consistency purposes, I remove most of the fat.
• Add the shredded short ribs back into the sauce and stir to combine. Turn the slow cooker on warm.

Serving short rib ragu

You can serve the short rib ragu over pasta of choice, my favorite is pappardelle. I always love serving my homemade roasted garlic bread on the side, to soak up all the delicious juices.

Serve with freshly chopped parsley and freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese. Pecorino Romano cheese is a hard salty cheese made out of sheep’s milk.

Storing short rib ragu

• Making ahead: If making ahead, fully prepare the short rib ragu and store. Prepare the pasta fresh, when ready to eat.
• To store: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• To freeze: Allow the short rib ragu to fully cool and store in a flat layer in a freezer bag. Defrost overnight in refrigerator and heat up in pot till warmed through.

Slow cooker short rib ragu

I hope you enjoy this slow cooker short rub ragu!

Looking for more slow cooker recipes?

• Slow Cooker Braised Short Ribs and Polenta
• Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken
• Slow Cooker Beef Chili
• Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja
• Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Stew

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Short Rib Ragu

This beef short rib ragu is made in the slow cooker and turned into tender, juicy, shredded meat. Packed with veggies and flavor, this slow cooker short rib ragu is a rich pasta sauce that is restaurant worthy.

4.25 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Pasta/Noodles

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: beef short ribs, ragu, ragu sauce, short rib ragu, short ribs, slow cooked short rib ragu, slow cooker ragu

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 6 hours

Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 850kcal

Author: Stephanie

Equipment

• Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven 
• Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker 

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 3 ½ pounds beef short ribs see note
• 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 1 yellow onion diced (1 ½ cups)
• 2 cups dry red wine cabernet
• 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 3 medium carrots peeled, diced ( 1 ½ cups)
• 3 ribs celery diced (¾ cup)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon beef paste
• ½ cup beef stock
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 1 pound pappardelle pasta prepared al dente
• Fresh parsley chopped to garnish
• Freshly grated pecorino romano to garnish
• Homemade roasted garlic bread optional
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper

Instructions

• Salt and pepper all sides of the short ribs.
• In a dutch oven over medium/high heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil. In batches, sear each side of the short ribs for 1 minute, until a browned crust forms. Remove from dutch oven and place in slow cooker. Repeat with remaining short ribs.
• Lower the heat to medium, add 2 tbsp olive oil and diced onions. Sauté for 4 minutes, until onions begin to soften. Pour in 2 cups of red wine to deglaze the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up flavorful short rib bits on bottom of pot. Allow the liquid to reduce for 6 minutes. Carefully add to slow cooker.
• Add the rest of the ingredients to the crockpot: crushed tomatoes, carrots, celery, tomato paste, bouillon paste, beef stock, rosemary, bay leaves, and thyme. Using tongs, disperse ingredients evenly.
• Set slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours.
• Once the short ribs are done cooking, carefully remove from the crockpot and place on cutting board. They are so tender, some of the bones may have already fallen out. Discard the bones. Remove the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves as well, discard. Use two forks to shred short ribs, removing and discarding fatty bits. Return the shredded short ribs back into the sauce and stir to combine. Turn the slow cooker on warm.
• Prepare pasta al dente
• Serve ragu over pasta and top with freshly chopped parsley and freshly grated pecorino romano. Enjoy short rib ragu with homemade garlic bread on the side, to soak up all the delicious sauce.

Notes

Beef short ribs:

• Bone-in vs. boneless short ribs: you can get boneless short ribs, but for maximum flavor and best texture, you want to use bone-in short ribs for this recipe.
• Try and select the short ribs that are thick and have a lot of meat on the bone.

Slow cooker temperature:

• This dish should be cooked on a low heat setting for tender and juicy meat. If cooked on high, the short ribs can be tough.

Storing

• Making ahead: If making ahead, fully prepare the short rib ragu and store. Prepare the pasta fresh, when ready to eat.
• To store: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• To freeze: Allow the short rib ragu to fully cool and store in a flat layer in a freezer bag. Defrost overnight in refrigerator and heat up in pot till warmed through.

*See in-post for step-by-step photos and more information on recipe*

Nutrition

Calories: 850kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 178mg | Sodium: 1410mg | Potassium: 1543mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 5637IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 8mg

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