Smoked and Braised Beef Short Rib Ragu

Smoked and Braised Beef Short Rib Ragu

Lee - Smoke & Sear
Servings: 4 Total Time: 5 hrs 30 mins Difficulty: Intermediate Family Friendly Family Friendly Smoke & Sear Fav. Smoke & Sear Fav.
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Oak-Smoked Short Rib Ragu with a Creamy Parmesan Twist

Smoked and braised beef short rib ragu is what happens when BBQ meets Italian comfort food. Think rich, meaty goodness, slow-cooked until the beef melts into the sauce. By smoking the ribs first, you infuse the dish with that irresistible smoky flavour that takes it up a notch. Perfect for a dinner that’s equal parts posh and homey, this recipe is a showstopper over pasta, with every bite delivering a smoky, creamy burst of flavour.

Smoked and Braised Beef Short Rib Ragu

Beef
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Prep Time 1 hr Cook Time 4 hrs Rest Time 30 mins Total Time 5 hrs 30 mins
Difficulty: Intermediate Cooking Temp: 120  C Servings: 4 Estimated Cost: £ 20 Calories: Approximately 650 per serving Best Season: Fall, Winter
Author: Lee - Smoke & Sear Cooking Method: Cuisine: Courses: Recipe Keys: Family Friendly Family Friendly Smoke & Sear Fav. Smoke & Sear Fav.

Ingredients

For the Beef Ribs:

For the Ragu:

For Serving:

Instructions

  1. Setting Up the Kamado Joe:

    • Preheat the Kamado Joe to 121°C (250°F).
    • Add oak wood chunks to the lit charcoal for a smoky flavour.

  2. Prepping the Beef Ribs:

    • Coat the short rib cubes generously with SPG rub.
    • Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven placed on the grill.

  3. Smoking the Ribs:

    • Place the ribs on the cast iron grate above the Dutch oven.
    • Smoke for 1 hour, letting the meat absorb the oak flavour.

  4. Cooking the Vegetables:

    • While ribs are smoking, dice the onions, carrots, and celery.
    • Remove ribs from the grill and sear directly in the Dutch oven until browned. Set aside.
    • Add diced vegetables to the Dutch oven and sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened.
    • Stir in minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1-2 minutes.

  5. Building the Sauce:

    • Deglaze the Dutch oven with red wine, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom.
    • Let simmer for 2-3 minutes, then add beef stock, tinned tomatoes, and herb bundle.

  6. Braising the Ribs:

    • Return smoked ribs to the Dutch oven, ensuring they’re submerged in the sauce.
    • Cover and cook in the Kamado Joe for 2.5 to 3 hours until the meat is tender and shreddable.

  7. Finishing Touches:

    • Remove herb bundle and discard. Shred the beef, discarding the bones.
    • Stir in Parmesan and double cream, creating a velvety sauce.
    • Cook pasta as per instructions, toss in the ragu, and coat evenly.

  8. Serving:

    Plate the pasta and garnish with grated Parmesan and parsley.

Equipment

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Note

For extra smokiness, add another wood chunk halfway through smoking.

Use hot beef stock to maintain consistent cooking temperatures.

Leftover ragu freezes beautifully – perfect for quick midweek meals.

Keywords: smoked beef ragu, short rib ragu recipe, BBQ pasta recipes, Kamado Joe recipes, smoked beef recipes, Italian comfort food
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Lee Bishop - Smoke & Sear

smoke.sear

1,065 24,066

24,000+ on Instagram.
11,000+ on Facebook.
66,000 website users this year.
130,000 page views.

And somehow, the Ninja Woodfire UK Facebook group has now passed 27,000 members, while the UK BBQ Community on WhatsApp has gone past 450 members.

That’s honestly mad.

Smoke & Sear has always just been me cooking outside, filming what I’m doing, sharing the wins, the mistakes, the gear, the fire, the smoke and all the no-bollocks bits in between.

But this year feels like things are starting to properly move.

The big goals are simple.

Keep pushing @fourge.bbq with three good mates and see how far we can take a proper UK BBQ business built around flavour, fire and graft.

Keep supporting the UK BBQ community, helping it grow, connecting more people, and doing what I can to push it forward.

And hopefully find a couple of brands to work with properly long-term. Real content, proper use, honest feedback, recipes, and maybe even stepping into demos a bit more.

To everyone who follows, comments, shares, reads the website, joins the groups, tries a recipe, buys from FOURGE, or just sticks around for the madness — genuinely, thank you.

It’s all a bit ridiculous.

But we’re only getting started 🔥

#SmokeAndSear #FOURGE #UKBBQ #BBQCommunity #OutdoorCooking

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24,000+ on Instagram. 11,000+ on Facebook. 66,000 website users this year. 130,000 page views. And somehow, the Ninja Woodfire UK Facebook group has now passed 27,000 members, while the UK BBQ Community on WhatsApp has gone past 450 members. That’s honestly mad. Smoke & Sear has always just been me cooking outside, filming what I’m doing, sharing the wins, the mistakes, the gear, the fire, the smoke and all the no-bollocks bits in between. But this year feels like things are starting to properly move. The big goals are simple. Keep pushing @fourge.bbq with three good mates and see how far we can take a proper UK BBQ business built around flavour, fire and graft. Keep supporting the UK BBQ community, helping it grow, connecting more people, and doing what I can to push it forward. And hopefully find a couple of brands to work with properly long-term. Real content, proper use, honest feedback, recipes, and maybe even stepping into demos a bit more. To everyone who follows, comments, shares, reads the website, joins the groups, tries a recipe, buys from FOURGE, or just sticks around for the madness — genuinely, thank you. It’s all a bit ridiculous. But we’re only getting started 🔥 #SmokeAndSear #FOURGE #UKBBQ #BBQCommunity #OutdoorCooking

Bit of a special one today ❤️🔥

Olivia and Oakley wanted to take over the Kamado Joe and make their own cooking video . . . so we made smoked & tallow-confit beef cheeks together.

And honestly, this is what it’s all about for me.

Getting kids outside. Around fire. Around food. Learning patience, confidence and where proper food actually comes from.

There is absolutely NO chance I’d have eaten beef cheeks at their age 😅

But when kids get involved in cooking outdoors, they become curious. They want to try things. Learn things. Experience things.

And somewhere between the smoke, the laughs and the chaos . . . core memories get made ❤️

88 15
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Bit of a special one today ❤️🔥 Olivia and Oakley wanted to take over the Kamado Joe and make their own cooking video . . . so we made smoked & tallow-confit beef cheeks together. And honestly, this is what it’s all about for me. Getting kids outside. Around fire. Around food. Learning patience, confidence and where proper food actually comes from. There is absolutely NO chance I’d have eaten beef cheeks at their age 😅 But when kids get involved in cooking outdoors, they become curious. They want to try things. Learn things. Experience things. And somewhere between the smoke, the laughs and the chaos . . . core memories get made ❤️

First proper hike completed ✅

Big shoutout to @lads_project25 for a cracking day out in the Peak District.

This was my first real hike and my first ever visit to the Peak District — and what a place to start.

📍 Higger Tor, Burbage Edge & Padley Gorge Circular
🥾 7.2 miles
⛰️ 1,378ft elevation gain
⏱️ 4 hours 6 minutes
🐾 One very happy, very tired Labrador

12 lads turned up, most of us strangers at the start, but it didn’t feel like that for long. Non-stop chats, proper laughs, some deep conversations, a bit of scrambling, a few boggy moments, and views that made every climb worth it.

Groups like Lads Project matter.

No judgement. No pressure. Just good lads getting outside, keeping active, sharing stories, having a laugh, and supporting each other in a way that feels natural.

If you’re a bloke who’s been thinking about doing something like this, reach out to @lads_project25 and get involved.

Fresh air, good people, and a reminder that sometimes the best conversations happen while walking side by side.

I’ll definitely be joining them again soon.

#LadsProject #PeakDistrict #MensMentalHealth #HikingUK #MensCommunity

60 9
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First proper hike completed ✅ Big shoutout to @lads_project25 for a cracking day out in the Peak District. This was my first real hike and my first ever visit to the Peak District — and what a place to start. 📍 Higger Tor, Burbage Edge & Padley Gorge Circular 🥾 7.2 miles ⛰️ 1,378ft elevation gain ⏱️ 4 hours 6 minutes 🐾 One very happy, very tired Labrador 12 lads turned up, most of us strangers at the start, but it didn’t feel like that for long. Non-stop chats, proper laughs, some deep conversations, a bit of scrambling, a few boggy moments, and views that made every climb worth it. Groups like Lads Project matter. No judgement. No pressure. Just good lads getting outside, keeping active, sharing stories, having a laugh, and supporting each other in a way that feels natural. If you’re a bloke who’s been thinking about doing something like this, reach out to @lads_project25 and get involved. Fresh air, good people, and a reminder that sometimes the best conversations happen while walking side by side. I’ll definitely be joining them again soon. #LadsProject #PeakDistrict #MensMentalHealth #HikingUK #MensCommunity

TEMPER Smoked Pulled Lamb Flatbreads 🔥

2.6kg bone-in lamb shoulder from @thecateringbutcher , hit with TEMPER from @fourge.bbq , smoked low and slow, then pulled into fresh flatbreads with garlic yoghurt, pickled onions, herbs and charred lemon.

Bit more of an involved cook this one, but absolutely worth it.

I also used the @typhur_uk Sync Gold Dual for temps throughout the cook and, to be fair, the Sub-1G connection was solid. No problem getting through the lamb, wrapped in foil, inside the Kamado Joe, through a few walls, while I cracked on writing the full recipe for the website like the BBQ geek I apparently am.

Full recipe is here:

https://www.smokeandsear.world/BBQ-recipes/temper-smoked-pulled-lamb-flatbreads/

Enjoy!

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TEMPER Smoked Pulled Lamb Flatbreads 🔥 2.6kg bone-in lamb shoulder from @thecateringbutcher , hit with TEMPER from @fourge.bbq , smoked low and slow, then pulled into fresh flatbreads with garlic yoghurt, pickled onions, herbs and charred lemon. Bit more of an involved cook this one, but absolutely worth it. I also used the @typhur_uk Sync Gold Dual for temps throughout the cook and, to be fair, the Sub-1G connection was solid. No problem getting through the lamb, wrapped in foil, inside the Kamado Joe, through a few walls, while I cracked on writing the full recipe for the website like the BBQ geek I apparently am. Full recipe is here: https://www.smokeandsear.world/BBQ-recipes/temper-smoked-pulled-lamb-flatbreads/ Enjoy!

DRAGON, edge of the sky.

Flt Lt Tom Nation, the 2026 RAF Typhoon Display Pilot, putting the Typhoon through its paces over Coningsby.

Tom’s name is now on the jet, the black flying suit is on, the helmet has been unveiled, and the 2026 display season is starting to feel very real.

The aircraft, the pilot, the team behind it — all coming together for what looks like it’s going to be an unbelievable season.

Fast, precise, aggressive, controlled . . . and absolutely breathtaking to watch.

@raf_typhoondisplayteam
@eurofighter.typhoon

#RAFTyphoon #TyphoonDisplayTeam #EurofighterTyphoon #RAFConingsby

125 6
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DRAGON, edge of the sky. Flt Lt Tom Nation, the 2026 RAF Typhoon Display Pilot, putting the Typhoon through its paces over Coningsby. Tom’s name is now on the jet, the black flying suit is on, the helmet has been unveiled, and the 2026 display season is starting to feel very real. The aircraft, the pilot, the team behind it — all coming together for what looks like it’s going to be an unbelievable season. Fast, precise, aggressive, controlled . . . and absolutely breathtaking to watch. @raf_typhoondisplayteam @eurofighter.typhoon #RAFTyphoon #TyphoonDisplayTeam #EurofighterTyphoon #RAFConingsby