1 rack of baby back ribs, sliced into individual ribs, about 3 pounds (silver skin removed)
Olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 medium carrots, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
2 stalks celery, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
1 medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 cup good quality red wine, such as a pinot noir
One 28 ounce can tomato puree
1 cup chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1 bunch parsley stems
6 thyme sprigs
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Season ribs on all sides with salt and pepper. Add ribs, in batches, to large dutch oven over medium high heat that contains about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sear on all sides until well-browned. Remove ribs and place on a tray while you sear the remaining
To the pot where the ribs were seared, add carrots, onions, and celery. Saute on medium heat until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
Add garlic and tomato paste. Cook until tomato paste is fragrant and slightly darkened in color, about 2 minutes.
Deglaze the pan with red wine. Add chicken stock and tomato puree. Bring mixture to a simmer.
Tie together bay leaves, parsley stems, and thyme sprigs using kitchen twine. This will make it easier to remove at the end of cooking.
Add herb bundle and previously seared ribs to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Cover slightly with a lid. Simmer on low for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Stirring often to avoid the sauce from scorching.
When ribs are tender enough to come off the bone, remove them from the sauce and let cool until you are able to handle them. Shred all the meat off the bones and add back into the sauce. Simmer for an additional 45 minutes, uncovered, until sauce has slightly reduced and meat has become more tender.
Season sauce to taste with additional salt and pepper. Stir in chopped parsley. Serve over your favorite pasta or polenta