Short Rib Bolognese Recipe: Tips for Making Short Ribs

• 1½ pounds bone-in beef short ribs
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, quartered
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 ounces tomato paste
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock or beef stock
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 pound fresh pappardelle pasta, cooked to al dente
• Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

1. 1

   Pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel. Season the meat generously with 1 teaspoon of salt and a ½ teaspoon of pepper.

2. 2

   In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil.

3. 3

   When the oil is hot, add the short ribs to the pan. Sear each side of the short ribs until the skin is brown and slightly crispy, about 3–5 minutes for the front and back, and 1–2 minutes for the narrow sides.

4. 4

   While the ribs are searing, prepare the soffritto. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the onion, carrot, and celery and pulse until finely chopped. (Alternatively, mince the soffritto by hand.)

5. 5

   Remove the seared short ribs from the pot and set them aside.

6. 6

   Reduce the heat to medium. To the same pot used to cook the short ribs, add the soffritto. Sauté the mixture until it is very soft, about 5 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

7. 7

   Add the wine, tomato paste, nutmeg, and remaining salt and pepper, and cook until the wine has almost evaporated, about 10 minutes.

8. 8

   Add the short ribs back into the pot. Add the stock and milk and reduce the heat to low.

9. 9

   Braise, uncovered, occasionally stirring, until the meat is extremely tender and the sauce has a thick texture, about 3 hours. If the sauce dries out during cooking, add a ½ cup of water. Season the meat with additional salt and pepper to taste.

10. 10

    When the meat is fork-tender, remove the short ribs from the pot, discard the bones, and shred the meat.

11. 11

    Add the shredded short ribs back to the pot and stir to warm through.

12. 12

    Remove the sauce from the heat, and serve with pappardelle pasta (or the pasta of your choice) topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

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