Step 1

Season the short ribs with salt and pepper and dust them with the seasoned flour.

Step 2

In a large oven-proof pot, slowly sauté the bacon over low heat, allowing the fat to render without burning the lean part.

Step 3

In a separate frying pan, at medium heat, heat the olive oil and sauté the short ribs until they develop a beautiful Maillard reaction, ensuring they're well-browned on all sides.

Step 4

In the pot with bacon fat, add the diced onion and cook until caramelized.  Once the onions are caramelized, add garlic. Cook until fragrant (one or two minutes) Deglaze the pot with red wine, carrots, celery, ensuring to reduce the wine by half.

Step 5

Add tomatoes (crushed by hand) to the pot. Season with fresh thyme. Add the browned short ribs back into the pot. Pour in enough beef stock to almost cover the ribs.

Step 6

Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover with a lid, and place it in the preheated oven. Cook for approximately 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the meat falls off the bone.

Step 7

While the ragu is cooking, prepare the pappardelle pasta (or pasta of your choice) according to the package instructions.

Step 8

Once cooked, remove the pot from the oven. Skim off any excess fat from the surface.

Step 9

Gently remove the bones and any cartilage from the short ribs. Shred the meat and return it to the pot, mixing it into the sauce.

Step 10

Toss the cooked pasta with the ragu until well coated. Serve hot, garnished with freshly chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.