Rich Slow Cooked Beef Ragu
This rich slow cooked beef ragu is made with tender beef chuck braised in red wine, tomatoes and herbs until fall apart tender. Perfect tossed with your favorite pasta.
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.2 kg beef chuck, cut into 4 large pieces
- 200 grams streaky bacon, cut into small pieces
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, finely diced
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 500 ml red wine
- 400 ml beef stock
- 1 x 400 gram can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand or with masher
- 2 bay leaves
- 2-3 sprigs rosemary
- 1 parmesan rind (optional)
- salt and black pepper
To finish
- pasta (100 grams dried per person)
- butter (1 tablespoon per person)
- parmesan
- lemon zest (optional but recommended!)
- Italian parsley (or gremolata)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 320f (160c).
- Pat the beef pieces dry and season well with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Heat the olive oil in one or two large frying pans over a medium-high heat and sear the beef well on all sides until deeply golden. Set aside.
- Add the bacon to a cold Dutch oven or ovenproof casserole and cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until the fat has rendered and the bacon is lightly golden.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
- Add the onion, carrot and celery to the pot and cook gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the pot seems dry, add a tablespoon of olive oil.
- Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in the tomatoes, stock and wine and bring to a simmer. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and a good grind of black pepper.
- Return the beef and bacon to the pot and stir to combine. The liquid should just be covering the meat so top up with stock or water if you need to.
- Add the bay leaves, optional parmesan rind and place the rosemary sprigs on top.
- Cover with the lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 3 hours, checking a piece of beef to see if it pulls apart easily. If not cook for an additional 20-30 minutes until soft.
- Discard the rosemary, parmesan rind and bay leaves.
- Remove the beef and shred with two forks, removing any large pieces of fat.
- Return the shredded beef and any resting juices to the pot. Check for seasoning.
Instructions for pasta
- I allow 1 cup of meat per per person and 100 grams of dried pasta per person.
- Heat the amount of ragu you plan to use in a large skillet or frying pan while the pasta cooks.
- Just before your pasta is ready, add a splash of pasta water and the butter into the ragu and mix.
- Add the cooked pasta to the ragu and toss, letting it bubble away very gently together for 1-2 minutes. Tossing, so the meat coats the pasta.
- Finish with lots of freshly grated parmesan, some finely chopped Italian parsley and some freshly grated lemon zest.
Notes
Chuck steak - I had 2 x 600 gram pieces which I cut in half. Larger pieces stay juicier during the long braise and shred into longer strands.
Soffritto - This is the vegetable mixture. Take your time cooking this, it creates the base of flavor.
Cooking time - Chuck can vary from piece to piece, so use the cooking time as a guide only. The beef is ready when it shreds effortlessly with two forks. If it still feels firm, continue cooking and check every 20-30 minutes.
Wine - Use a dry red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Shiraz. Choose one you'd happily drink, as the flavor concentrates during cooking.
Make ahead - This ragu tastes even better the next day and also freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.