Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu over Pappardelle

When it comes to Valentine’s Day at home, it really doesn’t get much better or sexier than a big bowl of pasta for me. Oh-la-la. And this Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu over Pappardelle…wow.

When I was trying to decide which Valentine’s dish to share with you this year, tons of pasta recipes came to mind. When I asked Clayton (my husband) “What comes to mind when you think of a home-cooked Valentine’s meal?” his response was “uh…steak!” So I decided to combine the two with a classic short rib ragu. So here she is, folks. This beauty of a dish tastes just as good as it looks!

On another note, Valentine’s Day falls on a Tuesday this year (womp womp). Instead of spending all night in the kitchen for your special date night, wake up a little early and get this in the crockpot so you come home to a delicious, home-cooked, sexy meal. Enjoy your night over this romantic Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu over Pappardelle and splurge on some good wine! There are no gifts needed with a night like that in my opinion!

Happy Valentine’s, Galentine’s, or whatever “tines” you will be having this year! Celebrate LOVE… and don’t forget to love yourself. Without self-love you can’t fully love others, you can’t spread joy and happiness, and you can’t live your best life. So, make the world a better place and LOVE so hard this week!

Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu over Pappardelle

Serves: 4 People

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5 from 5 votes

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time6 hours hrs

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. bone in short ribs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup finely diced carrot 1 large carrot
• 1/2 cup finely diced celery 1 stalk of celery
• 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion 1/2 onion
• 1/4 lb. hunk of pancetta cut into small cubes
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper i like to use 1/2 tsp. for a little more heat
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. flour
• 1/4 cup red wine cabernet preferably
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 tsp. anchovy paste
• 28 oz. can of whole peeled tomatoes (preferably San Marzano Tomatoes)
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp. freshly chopped basil
• 12 oz. pappardelle pasta or tagliatelle is good

For Serving:

• Good Parmigiano Reggiano freshly grated
• Parsley chopped loosely

Instructions

• Season all sides of the short ribs generously with salt and pepper.
• Heat a pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat with 2 tbsp. olive oil. Brown all sides of the short ribs (about 2 minutes per side). Remove and set in the bottom of the crockpot.
• In the same pot, add the pancetta and let it fry up for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Now add diced celery, onion, carrot, crushed red pepper, and garlic. Be sure to season it well with salt and pepper, you want to make sure every layer is properly seasoned to ensure it isn't bland! Saute until veggies are tender and the pancetta is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
• Turn heat down to low, add the anchovy paste and stir it in and saute for 1 more minute.
• Now sprinkle in the flour and stir until it coats the veggies.
• Pour in the red wine and beef broth, stir and scrape up all the brown bits off the bottom of the pot.
• Add the can of tomatoes and using the back of your spoon, try and break them up a bit.
• Add the fresh and dried herbs. Stir in. Taste the sauce and add any more salt and pepper if you think it needs it.
• Pour sauce over the short ribs in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or when short ribs are fork tender.
• When ribs are fork tender, discard the bay leaf and remove short ribs from slow cooker and onto a cutting board, with two forks, shred the meat and discard the bones and any unwanted fat/tendons. Place shredded meat back into the crockpot to let them soak back up the sauce (I like to turn my crockpot off or switch to warm during this time while I prep my pasta).
• Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
• Drain pasta in a colander. Divide amongst bowls and top with the ragu (NOTE: depending on how meaty your short ribs are, your sauce might be too saucy, if this is the case, use a slotted spoon to serve your sauce for best results!)
• Enjoy with a nice glass of red wine, i prefer it with an Italian brunello di montalcino 😉

Notes

The ragu keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days, you can also freeze it for up to 1 month!