• Pre-heat the oven to 325°F. Ready a 5 1/1 quart Dutch oven. If using porcini mushroom option, soak the mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes, strain, and chop. Add when cooking the vegetables.

Brown ribs

• Pat ribs dry, season generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven until hot over medium to medium-high, add the ribs and sear on all sides until well-browned. Remove ribs to a plate. Drain off and discard all but 2 tablespoons of fat.

Cook vegetable base

• Turn heat down and sauté onion, carrot, celery until softened, 6–8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds, add tomato paste and cook until deep brick-red, stirring, 2 minutes. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits. Cook until reduced by half.

Build the braise

• Pulse tomatoes in blender to break them down. Add tomatoes, broth, and herbs. Nestle ribs back in. Liquid should come about halfway up the ribs. Bring to simmer. Add the parmesan rind if using.
• Cover the pot and transfer to the oven for 2½–3 hours, until meat is fall-off-the-bone tender. Test at 2 ½ hours. Ragu is done when the bones are easily pulled out of the meat and falling apart. Remove spent rind.

Shred meat, finish the ragu

• Remove rib meat and place in a bowl. Discard bones and extra fat. While the meat is cooling enough to handle and shred, use a large tablespoon to skim excess fat from the surface of the sauce. Taste and add the balsamic if desired.

  When the meat is cool enough to handle, use disposable kitchen gloves and shred the meat by hand into small pieces. Add back to the sauce and heat through for serving if needed. Garmish with fresh chopped parsley.