Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu

Instructions

• Slow Cooker Method
• To a 6-quart slow cooker, add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and a few generous pinches of salt and black pepper and set aside. Pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel and season generously with salt and black pepper to coat all sides.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, deep cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium heat. Carefully place the short ribs on the pan, evenly spaced apart, and cook until browned and crisp on four sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove and place in the slow cooker bowl on top of the vegetables, leaving behind about 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet.
• Add the tomato paste to the skillet and mix to soak up the oil. Cook, stirring continuously, until the paste turns dark red, about 1 minute. Pour in the beef broth and continue stirring until it comes to a simmer, getting any brown bits stuck on the pan as you mix. Remove from heat and carefully transfer to the slow cooker bowl along with the crushed tomatoes.
• Gently mix to ensure the vegetables and short ribs are covered in liquid. Add the bay leaves and thyme and push down cover. Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5 hours.
• After the ribs are done cooking, discard the bay leaves and thyme, prepare your pasta, and shred up the ribs (either in the slow cooker bowl or on a cutting board), discarding the bones. The meat should be falling off the bone and shred easily at this point. If the meat is not shredding easily, that means you need to cook it longer. Check every 15 minutes from there until it easily shreds!
• Return the meat to the slow cooker, mix to combine, salt to taste, and serve between 6 bowls over the cooked pasta. Top with grated parmesan and chopped basil (if using).
• Stovetop Method
• Pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel and season generously with salt and black pepper to coat all sides.
• Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Carefully place the short ribs in the pot, evenly spaced apart, and cook until browned and crisp on all four sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside on a plate.
• To the same pot, add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and carrots are softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and a few pinches of salt and black pepper and continue cooking until fragrant, another 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the tomato paste and stir until it’s mixed into the vegetables and dark red. Pour in the broth and stir, getting any brown bits stuck on the pot as you mix. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. Nestle the short ribs into the sauce and top with the bay leaves and thyme.
• Reduce the heat to low, cover the dutch oven, and simmer until the short ribs are falling off the bone, about 2 hours (if it’s not falling off the bone, it’s not done yet! keep checking every 10 minutes until it does). Discard the bay leaves and thyme and shred up the ribs (either in the slow cooker bowl or on a cutting board), discarding the bones.
• Add the shredded short ribs back to the dutch oven and continue simmering on low for at least 20 minutes, or until serving. Salt to taste. Meanwhile, prepare your pasta.
• Serve between 6 bowls over the cooked pasta. Top with grated parmesan and chopped basil (if using).