Slow Cooker Red Wine Short Rib Ragu: The Ultimate Cozy Comfort for Your Holiday Table
Embrace the festive spirit with a heartwarming bowl of Red Wine Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu, a rich and deeply flavorful pasta dish perfect for chilly evenings and holiday gatherings. This incredibly tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef ragu, slow-cooked to perfection, promises to gather everyone around the dinner table with minimal effort, thanks to your reliable slow cooker or electric pressure cooker.
Disclosure: This post is proudly sponsored by Dreamfarm! As always, all opinions and the delicious recipe are entirely my own. Your support for the brands that make Cake ‘n Knife possible is greatly appreciated!
As the days grow shorter and the air outside carries a crisp chill, my cravings gravitate towards hearty, comforting meals. There’s something truly magical about this time of year that calls for rich beef dishes paired with satisfying carbs – a combination that simply warms the soul.
Picture this: curled up on the couch, a generous bowl of steaming pasta cradled in your hands, the soft glow of Christmas tree lights twinkling in the background, and the playful bickering of dogs over their favorite toys. Add a gentle symphony of Christmas music, and you have a scene of pure festive joy and ultimate relaxation. This Red Wine Short Rib Ragu perfectly complements such moments, transforming a simple evening into a memorable experience.
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Why This Ragu is Your Holiday Meal Hero
Beyond being an ideal dish for your quiet, cozy nights in, this Red Wine Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu truly shines as the star of any holiday dinner party. Its robust flavors and incredibly tender short ribs make it an impressive main course, yet it’s surprisingly easy to prepare. The beauty of this recipe lies in its adaptability; you can effortlessly double the ingredients in most standard slow cookers or electric pressure cookers, making it perfect for feeding a crowd without added stress.
What I particularly adore about this dish is its profound richness and savory depth. The combination of red wine and a touch of brandy in the sauce works wonders, breaking down the short ribs until they are unbelievably tender and exquisitely juicy. Once shredded and returned to the bubbling sauce, the meat infuses the ragu with an intense, complex flavor profile. It strikes a perfect balance: savory without being overwhelming, herbaceous with fragrant thyme and oregano, and brightened by a subtle touch of acidity from the tomatoes and wine. Each spoonful offers a harmonious blend of tastes and textures that truly satisfies.
The Magic of Slow Cooking: A Chef’s Best Friend
The “set it and forget it” nature of the slow cooker makes this recipe a dream, especially during the busy holiday season. After a quick initial browning of the ribs and sautéing of aromatics, your slow cooker takes over, transforming humble ingredients into a gourmet meal with minimal intervention. This long, gentle cooking process is key to achieving the unparalleled tenderness of the short ribs, allowing the rich flavors to meld and deepen over hours. The result is a deeply concentrated sauce and meat so fork-tender it practically melts on your tongue.
While the slow cooker does the heavy lifting, having the right kitchen tools makes the entire cooking process smoother and more enjoyable. These aren’t just gadgets; they are essential companions that simplify tasks and elevate your culinary experience.
Essential Kitchen Companions from Dreamfarm
My journey to an easier kitchen began with Dreamfarm’s ingenious tools, specifically their Set of the Best and versatile Clongs! I was first won over by their Scizza pizza cutters – a ridiculously brilliant invention that truly changed the way I cut pizza, performing far better than any traditional pizza wheel.
Ever since that revelation, I’ve become a dedicated fan of their innovative kitchen tools. What I appreciate most is their multi-purpose design – or “multi-tankers,” as the great Alton Brown would call them. For instance, instead of needing both a ladle and a spoon, Dreamfarm offers their incredible Spadle, combining both functions into one clever utensil. Their Clongs are another game-changer, with a clever clicking mechanism and silicone tips that provide an unparalleled grip on food, making them far superior to any ordinary tongs. You’ll find these tools particularly indispensable when preparing and serving this rich short rib ragu!
Shopping for a Cook? Explore My Kitchen Favorites Gift Guide!
Giveaway Information (Now Closed)
For those who followed my newsletter (if you haven’t subscribed, you can do so on my site!), you might recall that this recipe was featured on Day One of the “12 Days of Jolly Giveaways.” I was absolutely thrilled to share my favorite products leading up to Christmas, offering readers a chance to win and recreate these amazing recipes just as they appear in my photos. And of course, starting with a hearty, winning dinner like this ragu was a must!
Dreamfarm was incredibly generous, not only giving away their “Set of the Best” – a collection of five incredible kitchen essentials I use daily – but also a set of their fantastic locking Clongs, which are so much better than standard, boring tongs sitting in your utensil jar.
While this particular giveaway is now closed, it highlights the quality and utility of the tools discussed here, and offers inspiration for thoughtful gifts for the cooks in your life. This recipe was indeed Day One, followed by other delightful holiday treats:
- Day One – Red Wine Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu
- Day Two – Gingerbread Challah Bread
Crafting the Perfect Ragu: Tips for Success
Achieving a truly exceptional short rib ragu involves a few key steps that enhance its flavor and texture. Firstly, don’t skip browning the short ribs before placing them in the slow cooker. This crucial step creates a delicious caramelized crust, locking in moisture and building a foundational layer of rich flavor. Similarly, deglazing the pot after sautéing the aromatics (bacon, garlic, onion) is vital. The flavorful brown bits scraped from the bottom of the pan add immense depth to the sauce.
The choice of ingredients also plays a significant role. Using a good quality red wine, like Cabernet Sauvignon, will impart a robust flavor that stands up to the richness of the beef. The addition of brandy offers a subtle sweetness and an additional layer of complexity. For tomatoes, San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes are highly recommended for their sweet, balanced flavor and less acidity compared to other varieties. Breaking them up by hand or with the back of a spoon helps them integrate beautifully into the sauce, creating a luscious texture.
Fresh herbs like parsley and basil, introduced at the end, provide a vibrant finish, while dried thyme and oregano, added earlier, infuse the sauce with aromatic warmth throughout the long cooking process. A single bay leaf, discarded before serving, adds a classic background note to the savory base.
This Recipe’s Must-Haves
- Dreamfarm Set of the Best, including these amazing tools for your kitchen:
- Dreamfarm Spadle
- Dreamfarm Holey Spadle (my personal favorite for its versatility)
- Dreamfarm Chopula
- Dreamfarm Supoon
- Dreamfarm Mini Supoon
- Dreamfarm Clongs 9-Inch – ideal for serving up this delicious fettuccine with ease!
Don’t forget to pin this Red Wine Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu recipe for easy access later!
Red Wine Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu
This rich and hearty ragu is just the hearty meal your holiday dinner needs! It’s filling and warm, making it irresistible as the weather gets colder outside.
Rating: 5 from 1 vote
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 2 lbs. bone-in short ribs
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 3 slices bacon, chopped
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 cloves garlic, diced
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 Tbsp flour
- 1/2 cup red wine (I used Cabernet)
- 1/4 cup beef broth
- 1 oz brandy
- 28 oz can of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 Tbsp freshly chopped parsley + more for garnish
- 2 Tbsp freshly chopped basil
- 1 lb fettuccine
Instructions
- Season all sides of the short ribs generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, carefully add the short ribs and brown them on all sides, about 2 minutes per side, to create a flavorful crust. Remove the browned ribs and place them in the bottom of your slow cooker.
- In the same pot, add the chopped bacon and fry for approximately 3 to 4 minutes until crisp. Add the red pepper flakes, diced garlic, and diced onion. Continue to cook until the onion is tender and translucent and the bacon is fully cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and sprinkle in the flour. Stir well to coat the vegetables and bacon, cooking for about 30 seconds to cook out the raw flour taste. Pour in the red wine, beef broth, and brandy, stirring continuously to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot (deglazing) – this adds tremendous flavor to your sauce.
- Stir in the whole San Marzano tomatoes, gently breaking them up a bit with the back of your stirring spoon.
- Add in the fresh and dried herbs (thyme, oregano, basil, and the initial parsley). Stir to combine all ingredients. Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour this rich sauce over the short ribs in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the ribs are incredibly fork-tender. Alternatively, you can cook this in an electric pressure cooker for 35 to 40 minutes (following your specific pressure cooker’s instructions for natural or quick release). Once cooked, discard the bay leaf and carefully remove the short ribs from the slow cooker to a cutting board.
- Using two forks, shred the tender meat from the bones, discarding the bones and any unwanted fat. Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker and let it simmer on low with the ragu while you prepare the pasta.
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the fettuccine according to the package instructions until al dente.
- Drain the cooked pasta thoroughly in a colander. Divide the fettuccine between individual serving bowls and generously top with the rich red wine short rib ragu. Serve immediately, garnished with a fresh sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley.
This Red Wine Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu is more than just a meal; it’s an experience. It’s the kind of dish that warms you from the inside out, evokes feelings of nostalgia, and effortlessly brings people together. Whether it’s a quiet family dinner or a festive holiday gathering, this ragu will undoubtedly become a treasured addition to your culinary repertoire. Enjoy the rich flavors and the precious moments it helps create!
