Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu Sauce

Simmered slowly in wine, tomatoes, carrots and herbs, this slow cooker short rib ragu sauce takes little effort, but is huge on flavor!

There is something about a cold day that just seems to require a savory meal cooked slowly to fill your fill home with aroma of love. Slow cooker short rib ragu sauce accomplishes that perfectly!

The process is simple and the ingredient list is made of mostly pantry staples. Yet, the flavor and feel of the short rib ragu sauce will taste as if you spent hours hovering over the stove. You only need 10 minutes to prep this dish and then let the slow cooker do the hard work! After hours of slowly cooking in red wine, the short ribs and vegetables will become tender and saucy, perfect to pair with pasta for an amazingly cozy dinner!

Cozy Tips for Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu Sauce

• Purchase bone in short ribs, as the bone actually aids in flavoring the sauce.
• If possible use fresh herbs as this is a simple sauce and each ingredient as to contribute to the flavor as much as possible.
• Place the short ribs in the slow cooker around mid morning and by the evening you will have a delicious dinner!
• If using as a pasta sauce and you feel you need more liquid to the ragu, use a bit of of the boiling pasta water to thin out the ragu sauce. The starchy water will help to allow the sauce to come together with the pasta and thin out the sauce.
• Make this a meal a fun Italian family night by serving the ragu is special or fancy bowls, playing Italian music in the background and lighting a few candles!

Ingredients for Short Rib Ragu Sauce

• 3 Pounds Bone In Short Ribs
• 1 Cup of Good Quality Red Wine
• ¼ Cup Chicken Broth
• 1 Medium Onion Diced
• 2 Medium Carrots Finely Chopped
• 3 Garlic Cloves Chopped
• 1 Can of Diced Tomatoes
• 1 Can of Tomato Paste
• 2 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary
• 2 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme
• Salt and Pepper

HelpFul Kitchen Tools

• Slow Cooker
• Tongs

What is Ragu Vs. Bolognese Sauce?

A true ragu sauce is a tomato based sauce with a beef roast slow cooked in wine, while a bolognese sauce is also a tomato based sauce but with ground meat. Both meat sauces are amazing when cooked slowly to allow the flavors to blend together perfectly.

What Other Meat Can I Use?

Short ribs are great as a ragu sauce since they have the bone in them already to add additional flavor to the sauce and they become tender in the slow cooker. However, you replace the short ribs for a small beef roast such as a shoulder roast or a chuck eye roast.

Do I Have To Use Wine?

Traditionally, a ragu sauce is a meat sauce cooked in wine. Red wine pairs the best with a beef. If you do not have red wine, you could substitute beef broth or vegetable broth.

Serve Short Rib Ragu With & Leftover Ideas:

While you could certainly have this short rib ragu on it's own as a main dish, it does taste amazing with fresh egg pasta or a slightly thicker noodle such as Pappardelle or Tagliatelle. You could also serve it with rice and roasted broccoli. The ragu tastes even better next the day and will save will in the fridge for up to 4 days. Use the leftovers as sandwich meat in a crusty baguette!

The Cozy Details

Step 1: Chop the garlic, onions, and carrots. Set them aside.

Step 2: Spray your slow cooker with non stick spray and heat a skillet over medium high heat with a drizzle of olive oil.

Step 3: Season the meat with salt and pepper then place the short ribs into the hot skillet. Sear until browned, turning each piece of meat so that all sides are browned.

Step 4: Place the browned short ribs into the crockpot.

Step 5: Add to the crockpot the wine, chicken broth, carrots, onions, garlic, canned tomatoes, and tomato paste,

Step 6: Top with the sprigs of fresh herbs and a sprinkling of a teaspoon of salt.

Step 7: Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Then shred the meat and stir up the sauce. Remove the stems of the sprigs of the herbs.

Enjoy over pasta or rice and serve warm. Don't forget to sprinkle with a bit parmesan cheese!

More Simple & Homemade Dinner Ideas

• Homemade Chicken Pot Pie
• Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Pasta with Zucchini, Italian Sausage and Fresh Mozzarella
• Creamy Tuscan Chicken