Aspiring Elephant

Braised Short Rib Fusilli is one of my favorite pasta dishes of all time. It’s so rich, meaty, and full of flavor that it often takes my taste buds a few moments just to comprehend what is happening. The tender short ribs really shine in this dish but coming in a close second is the sauce which is made by reducing the braising liquid. If I’m ever in need of a guaranteed crowd pleaser and want my food to truly wow my guests with its flavor, this is the one. In the mood for other braised short rib recipes? Also check out my article on Braised Short Rib Ravioli!

A Quick Overview

If you’ve ever made braised short ribs before, you probably know that it requires a little work. However, most of the work is pretty hands off, essentially allowing the short rib to slowly braise and become tender while your kitchen is filled with the scent of wine and beef.

Here is a condensed overview of what this dish entails:

1. Season short ribs with salt and pepper.
2. Sear short ribs in dutch oven, then remove.
3. Sauté vegetables, add in wine, stock, and herbs.
4. Add the short ribs back to the dutch oven and braise for 3-4 hours.
5. Remove and shred short ribs.
6. Fine strain braising liquid and further reduce.
7. Boil and strain pasta, add sauce, and shredded short ribs.
8. Top with basil and parmesan cheese.

So, as you can see, it does take a little time and effort to throw together. But I assure you it’s much easier than it sounds.

Ingredients

• 2-4 lbs of short ribs (preferably bone in)
• 2 medium shallots
• 2 carrots
• 3 garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 1/2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 cups red wine
• 2 cups beef broth
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• fresh rosemary and tarragon leaves
• 1 tbsp butter

How to Make Braised Short Rib Fusilli

To start things off, we need to prepare the short ribs. Your local butcher/grocery store should be able to provide you with 2-4 lbs of bone in short ribs. If bone in is not an option, boneless will work just as well.

The boneless short ribs in the photo above are what I used, and they were great. These ended up having wonderful marbling. Generously season all sides of the short ribs with salt and pepper. Next, add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil to a large pan or pot. I like to use my Le Creuset 3 1/2 qt. dutch oven. It’s perfect for searing while also tough enough to withstand oven heat up to 500°F. It can be literally used for just about anything. Highly recommend having one of these in your kitchen.

Once your cooking vessel reaches proper temperature, begin to sear the short ribs. Make sure to turn them to promote even browning on all sides.

Once the short ribs have even color on all sides (6-8 minutes), remove them and set aside. Next we’ll want to prepare the vegetables which include celery, carrots, garlic, and shallot. Dice and chop all into small pieces. Leaving the juices and oil from the short ribs, add the veggies, and begin to sauté.

Allow the vegetables to sauté for a few minutes until they start to become tender. Add in 1 1/2 tbsp of all purpose flour and mix until all the vegetables are coated. The raw flour will need a few minutes to cook off that floury taste. Next, add in 3 tbsp of tomato paste and stir to combine, once again making sure everything is evenly coated. Allow this to cook for a few minutes.

Now it’s time to deglaze the pan with the red wine. I prefer to use a cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, or a merlot. Add in 2 cups of red wine. Scrape up any cooked bits that are stuck to the pan. Bring this to a simmer before adding in 2 cups of beef broth. Then add back in the short ribs, gently nestling them on the bottom. Lastly, add in fresh rosemary and tarragon leaves. Preheat your oven to 350°F, place the lid on your dutch oven, then place in the oven. Braise for 3-4 hours until the short ribs are fork tender.

Braising is a wonderful way to break down tougher cuts of meat. After 3 hours or so, you should be able to use a fork to easily shred the meat. Once the short ribs are tender enough, remove them and place on a separate plate to leave whole or shred.

The Sauce

Oh, the sauce. This sauce is truly something magical. It has such a meaty, rich flavor that will be the perfect compliment to the short ribs and pasta. This is a similar method to how beef stock or broth is made. Stock is traditionally made by boiling bones with vegetables; broth is made by boiling the meat and vegetables. Stock and broth take several hours to reduce to create that trademark meaty flavorful and stocky mouthfeel, so this is somewhat of a light version of that.

Strain what is remaining of the braising liquid through a fine strainer. Place the liquid in a saucepan over low heat and continue to reduce for 5 minutes or so until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency. Finish it off with 1-2 tbsp of butter.

Bringing it all together

I like to prepare each individual bowl in batches. Boil pasta and set aside. Make sure to reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water. Once the pasta of your choice is cooked to al dente (I used fusilli), add it to medium sized sauce pan along with 1/4 cup braising liquid and a few splashes of pasta water, parmesan cheese, and shredded short ribs. Mix to combine everything. If the pasta needs more sauce, add it as necessary. Top with additional parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves. Hope you enjoy!