Stuff You Need
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
- ½ oz dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed
- 1.5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped fine
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry, and minced
- ½ tsp five-spice powder
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained with juice reserved, chopped fine
- 2 lbs boneless beef short ribs, trimmed
- 1 tsp table salt
Stuff to Know Before Cooking
If boneless short ribs aren’t available, don’t substitute bone-in short ribs. Instead, use a 2½-pound chuck-eye roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks.
This recipe makes enough sauce for 1 pound of pasta or a batch of Creamy Parmesan Polenta—our favorite way to serve it.
The recipe can be doubled, and the sauce freezes well.
Prep the Oven and Mushrooms
Preheat the oven to 350°F and position the rack in the middle.
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine ½ cup of the broth and mushrooms. Cover and microwave until steaming, about 1 minute. Let sit for 5 minutes to soften.
Drain through a coffee filter-lined strainer, pressing to extract the liquid. Reserve the liquid and finely chop the mushrooms.
Build the Sauce Base
In a Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the olive oil until shimmering.
Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the tomato paste, anchovies, and five-spice powder.
Cook, stirring, until darkened and a fond forms, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the wine, increase heat to medium-high, and simmer, scraping up the browned bits, until nearly dry, 2 to 4 minutes.
Simmer the Sauce
Stir in the chopped tomatoes with reserved juice, the remaining ⅔ cup broth, reserved mushroom liquid, and chopped mushrooms. Bring to a simmer.
Cook the Beef
Season the beef with ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper.
Add the beef to the pot, cover, and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1 hour.
Uncover and continue cooking until the beef is tender, 1 to 1¼ hours longer.
Shred and Finish
Remove the pot from the oven. Transfer the beef to a cutting board and let cool for 5 minutes.
Shred the beef with forks, discarding fat and connective tissue. Skim excess fat from the sauce, then return the shredded beef to the pot.
Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Beef Short Rib Ragu
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
- ½ oz dried porcini mushrooms rinsed
- 1.5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion chopped fine
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 anchovy fillets rinsed, patted dry, and minced
- ½ tsp five-spice powder
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 1 14.5-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, drained with juice reserved, chopped fine
- 2 lbs boneless beef short ribs trimmed
- 1 tsp table salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and position rack in the middle.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine ½ cup broth and mushrooms. Cover and microwave until steaming, about 1 minute. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Drain through a coffee filter-lined strainer, pressing to extract liquid. Reserve liquid and finely chop mushrooms.
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.
- Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add tomato paste, anchovies, and five-spice powder. Cook until darkened and a fond forms, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add wine, increase heat, and simmer until nearly dry, 2 to 4 minutes.
- Stir in chopped tomatoes with juice, remaining ⅔ cup broth, reserved mushroom liquid, and chopped mushrooms. Bring to a simmer.
- Season beef with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Add to the pot, cover, and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1 hour.
- Uncover and cook until beef is tender, 1 to 1¼ hours longer.
- Transfer beef to a cutting board and let cool 5 minutes. Shred with forks, discarding fat and connective tissue.
- Skim excess fat from sauce. Return shredded beef to the pot.
- Season to taste and serve.
