North Italia Braised Short Rib Lumache
This North Italia braised short rib lumache copycat gives you melt in your mouth beef, rich tomato ragu, and shell pasta. A cozy dinner made simple at home.
Equipment
- Heavy Dutch oven or oven safe braising pot with lid
- Tongs for searing and turning the ribs
- Sharp knife and cutting board for the aromatics
- Two forks for shredding the meat
- Large pot and colander for the pasta
- Wooden spoon for scraping up the browned bits
Ingredients
For the short ribs
- 4 lb bone in beef short ribs patted dry (dry meat browns best)
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the sauce
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 whole garlic head halved crosswise
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour to thicken the sauce
- 1½ cups dry red wine
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups beef broth
To finish
- 1 lb lumache pasta swap rigatoni or orecchiette if needed
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 2 tbsp fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Prep. Heat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat the short ribs thoroughly dry, then season all over with salt and black pepper. Dry meat is what gives you that deep brown crust.
- Sear the ribs. Warm the olive oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium high heat. Working in batches so the pot is not crowded, brown the ribs for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply colored. Transfer to a plate.
- Build the aromatics. In the same pot, add the onion, carrots, celery, and halved garlic. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until softened, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, because that is where the flavor lives.
- Make the sauce base. Stir in the tomato paste and flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the red wine and let it reduce over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Braise low and slow. Add the crushed tomatoes and beef broth, then nestle the ribs back in so the liquid covers most of the meat. Cover and braise in the oven for 2½ to 3 hours, until the meat pulls apart easily with a fork.
- Cook the pasta. Boil the lumache in salted water until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
- Shred and combine. Lift out the ribs, shred the meat with two forks, and discard the bones. Return the meat to the sauce, add the pasta, and gently toss to coat. Loosen with a splash of pasta water if the sauce gets too thick.
- Serve. Spoon into warm bowls and top with Parmesan and fresh basil.
Notes
- Choose short ribs with visible marbling. The fat is what melts into the sauce and makes the meat silky rather than dry.
- Do not rush the sear. A proper crust on each side is the backbone of the whole flavor, so give it the full few minutes per side.
- If your sauce looks thin after braising, lift the lid for the last 20 minutes and let it reduce on the stove.
- Salt the pasta water generously. It seasons the lumache from the inside and ties the whole dish together.
- Make the ragu a day ahead if you can. An overnight rest in the fridge deepens the flavor noticeably.