Slow-Cooker Short Rib Ragu

Until this year, I really haven't used my Crock-Pot very often. But for some reason, lately I've been drawn to recipes that use a slow cooker. I love that I can put dinner together either before breakfast or at lunch time, walk away for a few hours and just serve dinner whenever we're ready to eat. It's especially nice on days when I have meetings that run late (as was the case this week).

I found this recipe for Slow-Cooker Short Rib Ragu in a Martha Stewart Everyday Food a few months back. I dogeared it, thinking it looked like something The Hubs would really like and I was right! I love that it is a versatile dish. You can use it as a sandwich filler (as I did), toss it with some pasta or serve it alongside some corn bread or polenta. It was DELICIOUS and easy.


Ingredients:

* 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
* 3 pounds boneless short ribs,
* coarse salt & ground black pepper
* 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
* 2 large carrots, diced small
* 28 oz. whole peeled tomatoes (canned)
* 2 fresh sprigs or 1 tsp tried oregano or rosemary
* 2 cloves of garlic, peeled & whole



Directions:

1. Cut boneless short ribs into 3" pieces and season liberally with salt & pepper.


2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. In batches, cook short ribs until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer ribs to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.


3. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon fat from skillet, and add onion and carrot. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until vegetables are soft, 3 minutes.


4. Add 1/2 cup juice from tomatoes, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from skillet with a wooden spoon.


5. Transfer vegetables and liquid to slow cooker and add tomatoes, breaking them up as you go. Add herb sprigs and 2 whole cloves of garlic; season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on high until meat is fork-tender, 6 hours.


6. With a slotted spoon, remove herb sprigs and transfer meat to a cutting board. Shred meat using two forks (or your fingers).


7. With a ladle or large spoon, skim fat from cooking liquid (you'll remove quite a bit). Then use a slotted spoon to transfer the veggies and bits of meat to a large bowl.


8. Add the meat to the veggie mixture and toss to combine.


Serve immediately, or let cool in liquid and reheat over medium before serving.