A Meat Sauce for Pasta

Thanks goodness for pasta. We must eat it three times a week, with leftovers going to lunches or even snacks (hey, I have teenagers). It fills up the kids, is economical, and is very, very flexible. Just change the sauce and you have a different meal.

Meat sauces are always popular, where the meat adds flavor but is not the star attraction. A smaller amount of meat goes a long way if simmered in a sauce. And a meat sauce makes a heartier pasta dish, perfect for winter appetites. One meat sauce I make is a slow-simmered pork sauce, using bone-in spareribs. The other day, however, I was rifling through my collection of old Cook's Illustrated and noticed a recipe for a meat sauce using beef short ribs. I was intrigued, since I had never tried a sauce with beef ribs before.

Beef short ribs are meatier and bigger than pork spareribs. They are also a bit more expensive, but for use in a pasta dish, you need one small package. These look huge, but really are mostly bones.

According to the recipe, liberally salt and pepper the ribs and saute in about a tablespoon of olive oil, browning on all sides.

Remove the ribs to a plate, and pour off all but one teaspoon of the oil. Add one onion, finely chopped, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of wine and cook for another few minutes, or until wine reduces. Then add one 28-oz can of diced tomatoes and the ribs. Simmer for about 2 hours, or until meat is tender.

Remove ribs and shred meat, returning meat to pot. Serve over pasta. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan or Romano.

It was very good, and very similar to how I make a meat sauce with pork ribs. I don't usually chop the onion, preferring to saute it whole with the meat and removing it before serving. This gives a more subtle onion flavor, without pieces floating in the sauce. And normally I don't shred the meat, serving it separately for whoever would like a piece.

You can do the same thing with some small lamb bones, which are my favorite--absolutely delicious. The technique is the same. Of course, you can saute some finely chopped carrots and celery with the onion, further enriching the sauce, and picky little appetites need never know.