Short Rib Ragu over Creamy Grits

From the beautifully seared, fork-tender ribs to the decadent, creamy rice grits…this dish is sure to impress that special someone this Valentine’s Day.

Ingredients

For the Ragu
3 pounds boneless short ribs, patted dry and well seasoned on both sides with salt and pepper
2 tablespoons neutral-tasting oil
3 carrots, diced
2 ribs of celery, diced
1 onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon flour
1 (28-ounce) can of whole tomatoes, including juice
2 cups red wine
2 cups water
6 sprigs fresh parsley (1 Tbsp Dried)
salt & pepper, to taste
Parmesan Grits
¾ Cup Golden Rice Grits
2 ¼ cup Chicken Broth
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 Tbsp sour cream
3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional for garnish)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a large dutch oven or heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the short ribs and brown on all sides until the outside is nicely caramelized. Once browned, remove the ribs from the pot and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the diced carrots, celery, and onion. Cook for about 10 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste, coating all the vegetables. Sprinkle in the flour and stir to coat. Cook the mixture for another 2 minutes.
Pour in the wine and increase the heat to simmer.
Deglaze the pot by scraping the bottom with the spatula to pull up all of the browned bits.
Next, add the tomatoes, juicing each into the pot before adding. Don’t forget the excess juice in the can as well.
Pour in 2 cups of water and stir.
Add the short ribs back to the pot. Be sure they are completely covered by the liquid. If needed, add more water.
Toss in the parsley (no need to chop it) and give it all a big stir.
Bring the pot to a strong simmer (increase the heat if needed) cover it, and transfer it to the preheated oven.
Let it simmer in the oven for 2-3 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender.
Once the beef is fork-tender, remove the pot from the oven. Remove the short ribs from the pot and set aside. Using a fine mesh strainer, carefully strain the liquid into a large sauce pot. Shred the short ribs before adding them back to the pot.
Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium-high heat. You want the sauce to thicken and reduce, which will take at least 30 minutes or so. Periodically skim the surface to remove the fat.
While the sauce is reducing, cook grits according to package instructions
Once cooked, add in the butter, sour cream, and parmesan cheese and stir well to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve the ragu on top of the parmesan grits. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.