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Roman Holiday Rib Ragu

Smoked Baby Back Ribs Shredded into a Rich Tomato Ragù over Creamy Polenta

3 hours 15 minutes
Serves 4
DinnerItalianGluten-freeNut-freeShellfish-freeSoy-free
Herb's take

Taking a classic Italian comfort dish on a backyard vacation, we slow-cook smoked baby back ribs into a tomato-rich ragù, then spoon it over pillowy polenta. You’ll learn how to build flavor by smoking, braising, and infusing the sauce with all the ribby goodness, plus a lesson in polenta science (hint: patience is your friend).

Equipment needed
  • Smoker or grill (for smoking ribs)
  • Dutch oven

Ingredients

Yield
4

Instructions

  1. 01
    Preheat your smoker or grill for indirect heat at 250°F. If using a grill, add soaked wood chips for smoke.
  2. 02
    Pat the baby back ribs dry and season all over with kosher salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
  3. 03
    Smoke the ribs, bone-side down, for 1 1/2 hours until deeply browned and fragrant.
  4. 04
    Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté until soft and golden, about 8 minutes.
  5. 05
    Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it darkens, 2 minutes.
  6. 06
    Pour in the red wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits.
  7. 07
    Stir in the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, bay leaf, and dried oregano.
  8. 08
    Nestle the smoked ribs into the sauce, meaty side down. Bring to a simmer, cover, and braise over low heat for 1 1/2 hours, turning ribs once halfway through.
  9. 09
    Remove ribs from the pot. When cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-size pieces and discard bones. Return meat to the sauce, discarding bay leaf.
  10. 10
    Simmer the ragù uncovered for 20 minutes until thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
  11. 11
    Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, bring whole milk and water to a boil. Whisk in the polenta in a slow stream, stirring constantly.
  12. 12
    Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until polenta is creamy and soft, about 25 minutes.
  13. 13
    Stir in butter, Parmesan cheese, and a pinch of salt. Keep warm.
  14. 14
    To serve, spoon creamy polenta into shallow bowls. Top with rib ragu, extra Parmesan, and torn basil leaves.

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