Slow Cooked Short Rib Ragu Over Penne Pasta
Wow! This Slow Cooked Short Rib Ragu over Penne Pasta will blow your mind! We had dinner this weekend at a newer restaurant in our town called Locanda Ravello. Honestly, I can’t get enough of the place. It’s the kind of Italian restaurant where there is always a wood-fired pizza oven burning in the center of the restaurant, the staff speaks more Italian than English and every once in a while, if you’re lucky, they’ll break into song during your meal. After being inspired by the special Short Rib pasta I ordered and how scrumptious it was, I needed to try to recreate it. This is my version.
I need to gush for another minute about this restaurant. It’s the kind of place where you wish you had a bottomless stomach because you want to order everything. I am that person still deciding while the waiter stands before me and I start to feel the pressure of picking just one thing. The food is delicious, it’s fresh and the meatballs are like no other. Ok, now you can understand why I was inspired to create a Locanda Ravello meal in my own home.
I love short ribs. I have prepared them over mashed potatoes, in lasagne and even in my Ancho Chili Short Rib Taco recipe. This recipe is really very easy, but the depth of flavor you can achieve is amazing. If you have about 45 minutes during the day on a weekend, that’s all you need. Once you prepare the meat, sear it and place it in a dutch oven or slow cooker, it cooks itself. About 3-4 hours later it’s ready. Shred it from the bones, put the meat back in the sauce, cook a pasta of your choice and voila! If you have plans that day and can’t get to it for 6 hours, that’s fine, it can’t overcook…brilliant, right? I use my All-Clad Slow Cooker for this one. I love that I’m able to sear the short ribs on the stove top, transfer them in the same insert back to the slow cooker, set it and forget it. Enjoy this Slow Cooked Short Rib Ragu over Penne Pasta, Buon Appetito!
Prep Time
45 minutes
Cook Time
3 hours
Total Time
3 hours 45 minutes
Course
Entree
Cuisine
Italian
Servings
6 servings
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons EVOO
5 oz. Pancetta
Salt & Pepper
3-3 1/2 lbs. Short Ribs
1/2 cup Flour
1 Yellow Onion Diced
1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
5 Garlic Cloves Minced
2 Bay Leaves
1 cup Red Wine
6 oz. Tomato Paste
1 28 oz. Can Crushed San Marzano Tomatoes
3 cups Beef Broth
1 Tablespoon Sugar
Shredded Parmesan to top
1 lb. Pasta
Instructions
Heat a large pot over medium heat, add EVOO and cook diced pancetta until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
Salt and Pepper the short ribs and dust with flour. Sear the short ribs on all sides in the same pot from the pancetta, about 3 minutes per side. Sear in batches as to not crowd the pot. Remove and set aside.
Add diced onion and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add oregano, a pinch of red pepper flakes, minced garlic and bay leaves. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add tomato paste, stir to cook for another 2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes. Add red wine to deglaze, scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon and bring to a boil. Add beef broth, reserved pancetta and 1 Tablespoon sugar. Stir to combine. Add the short ribs in, meat side down. Set for 3-4 hours on high.
Remove the short ribs, remove the bones and bay leaves. Skim the fat, shred the meat with 2 forks or your hands and add the shredded beef back to the pot of sauce. Simmer uncovered for another 30 minutes to reduce slightly. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as needed.
Cook pasta and serve with a scoop of the Short Rib Ragu sauce and top with Parmesan Cheese.