Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu

Photo and recipe courtesy of The Defined Dish.

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Directions

1. Season all sides of the short ribs generously with salt and pepper.

2. Heat a pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat with 2 TBS olive oil. Brown all sides of the short ribs. Remove and set aside if using Dutch oven or in the bottom of the slow cooker.

3. In the same pot, add the pancetta and let it fry up for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add diced celery, onion, carrot, crushed red pepper, and garlic. Season well with salt and pepper, making sure every layer is properly seasoned to avoid bland flavor! Sauté until veggies are tender and pancetta is cooked through.

5. Turn heat down to low, add the anchovy paste and stir it in and saute for 1 more minute.

6. Sprinkle in the flour and stir until it coats the veggies.

7. Pour in the red wine and beef broth, stir and scrape up all the brown bits off the bottom of the pot.

8. Add the can of tomatoes and using the back of your spoon, try and break them up a bit.

9. Add the fresh and dried herbs, stir in. Taste the sauce and add any more salt and pepper if needed.

10. If using the Dutch oven, add ribs back to the pot; if using slow cooker, pour sauce over the ribs and cook for 6-8 hours or until short ribs are fork tender.

11. When ribs are fork tender, discard the bay leaf and remove the short ribs and onto a cutting board. With two forks, shred the meat and discard the bones and any unwanted tendons and fat. Place shredded meat back into the pot to let them soak up the sauce (if using the slow cooker, turn to off or warm during this time to prep pasta)

12. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions.

13. Drain pasta in a colander. Divide amongst bowls and top with ragu.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs bone-in short ribs

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1/2 cup finely diced carrot

• 1/2 cup finely diced celery stalk

• 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion

• 1/4 lb hunk of pancetta

• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped

• 1 tsp flour

• 1/4 cup red wine, cabernet preferably

• 1/2 cup beef broth

• 1 tsp anchovy paste

• 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes (preferably San Marzano tomatoes)

• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

• 1 bay leaf

• 2 TBS freshly chopped parsley

• 2 TBS freshly chopped basil

• 12 oz pappardelle pasta or tagliatelle

  For serving:

• freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

• parsley chopped