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- 16 January 2017 < Back to gossip

Slow-roast short rib ragu

This is definitely one to make at the weekend when you’re at home and it doesn’t matter that it has to bubble away in the oven for several hours – the longer the better!! The prep is super quick though and can be done in a hurry, so you can have a real feast with very little effort. This recipe makes enough sauce to serve eight with pasta, but you can always pop half in the freezer to enjoy another time.

Serves 8

  • 491 calories per serving
  • (with pasta)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1kg beef short ribs
  • 1 large red onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 celery sticks, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 2 x 400g cans of plum or cherry tomatoes
  • 200ml red wine
  • 1 bouquet garni made up of bay, thyme and rosemary
  • 500ml hot beef stock
  • 600g wholewheat spaghetti or penne
  • basil leaves, to garnish
  • grated Parmesan cheese, to serve
  • salt and black pepper

Time check

  • Prep: 15 minutes
  • Cooking: 3 hours or more

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan, season the short ribs and fry them for 3–4 minutes or until golden on all sides.

2. Put the browned ribs in a large roasting tin and add the onion, carrots and celery. Drizzle them with the remaining oil, then roast them in the oven for 45 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes, wine, bouquet garni and stock and roast for another 2 hours or longer – until the beef is really tender. It should be falling off the bone so you can shred the meat with 2 forks.

3. When the meat has reached this stage, take the roasting tin out of the oven and set it aside until the ribs are cool enough to handle. Pull the meat off the bones, then discard the bones and the bouquet garni. Tip everything else into a saucepan and mash gently so that all the flavours merge together. Have a taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

4. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, then serve with the sauce and garnish with basil. Serve with a bowl of grated Parmesan to add at the table.

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