Short Rib Ragu - Whole30, Paleo

1 Preheat Dutch oven over med-high heat for 5 minutes. 
2 Meanwhile, pat short ribs very dry with paper towel. Season all sides with kosher salt.
3 Add avocado oil to preheated Dutch oven, raise heat to high and brown all sides of the short rib. Transfer browned meat to bowl and set aside.
4 Add onion, celery and carrot - season with a pinch of kosher salt. Sautée vegetables until softened (approximately 10-12 minutes). Be sure to scrape all the brown bits off the bottom of the pot.
5 Add garlic, cook an additional 60 seconds.
6 Return browned meat to pot, add tomato passata, thyme, and bay leaves. Season with freshly-cracked black pepper, stir to combine, bring sauce to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and cook 2.5-3 hours or until meat is fall-apart tender.
7 Transfer meat to a bowl and shred with two forks. Discard thyme stems and bay leaves.
8 Return shredded meat to pot, add torn basil leaves and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper as required. Note: If ragu has reduced too much, simply add a little bit of stock to reconstitute.
9 Serve overtop of cauliflower purée, mashed potatoes, or zucchini noodles.