Penne Pasta with Braised Short Ribs

Not sure how to describe this recipe, other than, “Oh My God, this dish was Awesome!!”. Seriously though, you have to try this. It takes a few hours but it is well worth it, and most of that time is down time, with the meat slowly braising away making your house smell wonderful! The meat comes out so tender and flavorful. I had made a slightly different version of this a number of months ago that was a little more tomato based in the sauce, but I definitely prefer this one. You will not be disappointed!

It is a simple list of ingredients, most of which you likely have in your pantry and refrigerator already. And yes, sometimes I cheat and used pre-shredded cheeses in my cooking. Pick your battles, right!

Browning the beef, a few pieces at a time in the olive oil.

Once the meat was browned, I removed it and added the onion and garlic for a few minutes.

Then the tomatoes, mustard, and wine go in. Once that comes to a boil, reduce heat and add the meat back to the pot.

This is the meat after it braised for a few hours, before I removed the bones.

And look at that, an absolutely delicious final product.

 

Penne Pasta with Braised Short Ribs

Ingredients

3-4 pounds beef short ribs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

5 Roma tomatoes cut into eighths

1 cup red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon (I used Pinot Noir)

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 cups low-sodium beef broth

1 pound penne pasta

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

 

Directions

Place an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Season the ribs with salt and pepper. In a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or ovenproof stock pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. In batches, add the ribs and brown on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the ribs and set aside. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine and mustard. Bring the mixture to a boil and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Return the ribs to the pan. Add the beef broth, cover the pan and place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours until the meat is fork-tender and falls easily from the bone.

Remove the ribs from the cooking liquid. Using a large spoon, remove any excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Using a ladle, transfer the cooking liquid to the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth. Pour the sauce into a saucepan and keep warm over low heat. Remove the meat from the bones. Discard the bones. Using 2 forks shred the meat into small pieces. Stir the shredded meat into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and place in a large serving bowl. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the sauce and add to the pasta. Pour 1 cup of the sauce over the pasta. Toss well and thin out the pasta with more sauce, if needed. Sprinkle the pasta with Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley before serving.

This is from the Food Network’s, Giada De Laurentiis