If I had to name one word that describes Chloe-Charlotte Crampton’s approach to cooking, I’d opt for intentional. Her short rib ragu is no exception—it’s an elegantly crafted recipe to set the stage for an intimate meal. We recently stopped by Chloe’s Los Angeles home for a cozy fall meal—and yes, we devoured this delicious short rib ragu after the shoot wrapped.
Short rib is a heavily marbled cut of meat that works especially well for your dinner party menu thanks to their affordability. Slow cooking short ribs creates a rich sauce, and a meal that will bring rave reviews. Do as Chloe did, and pair with fresh greens and serve over pasta.
Why You’ll Love This Short Rib Ragu Recipe
This short rib ragu is ultimate comfort food, with tender short ribs and a slow-simmered tomato and red wine sauce. Aromatic veggies, Worcestershire, thyme, and parmesan rind add rich, layered flavor. Cooking the ribs low and slow makes them fall-apart tender—simply shred the ribs and mix them back into the sauce. Serve over pappardelle for a cozy, restaurant-quality meal at home. Trust us, this is the perfect dish to savor all season long.
Description
The coziest, most comforting dinner party dish—and it couldn’t be easier.
- 1 whole sweet onion, finely diced
- 1 large carrot (or two small), finely chopped
- 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1.5 cups hearty red wine (like a Cabernet or Merlot)
- 1.5 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 8–10 short ribs
- 2 tablespoons butter (or vegan butter)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 400–gram cans or 1 large of Mutti or San Marzano tomatoes (whole peeled and crushed with hands or crushed)
- 1 parmesan rind (optional)
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoon salt
- More parmesan to add on top
- Take the short ribs out of the fridge and bring them to room temp for 10-20 minutes. Season them generously with salt/ pepper and a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
- In a large Dutch oven or skillet in olive oil, sear the short ribs on high until golden brown on each side (about 2 minutes per side). If you are using a slow cooker, take the short ribs out of your skillet and place on a plate and add the ingredients for the sauce into the slow cooker.
- If you are using a Dutch oven, like I did, take the short ribs out and add in your butter along with your onions, garlic, celery and carrots you prepped. Add in your salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, then toss veggies to sweat them.*
- Next, add in your red wine to deglaze the pan and scrape up all those brown bits with your wooden spoon from the short ribs. They hold so much flavor. Once the wine is bubbling, add in your 1/2 can of tomato paste. Stir to cook for at least a minute to remove any bitter taste from the paste before adding in your beef broth, and then your can of hand crushed San Marzano tomatoes. Stir to combine. Add in the thyme sprigs and bay leaves, then the short ribs back in to the pan with a parmesan rind and cover.
- Pop the whole pot in to the oven with the lid on 325 F for 3-3.5 hours until the short ribs are falling apart. At that point you remove the short ribs and shred them, removing any excess fat along with the bones and toss those. Add the shredded meat back in to the pot and stir in to the sauce.**
- Put the stove on medium/high and let the sauce reduce by almost half which usually takes another 15-20 minutes, giving you plenty of time to cook the pappardelle pasta and make a quick arugula side salad along with warming some crusty bread whilst enjoying your vino. Don’t forget to do a taste test for salt, and add a little if needed.
Notes
*If you are using your slow cooker, add in all the ingredients and cook on low for 8 hours.
**The best way to shred these is in the kitchen aid mixer with the paddle attachment. Quickest shredding technique ever. Thank me later