Slow Cooked Beef Ragu
I love slow cooked meat sauces, they are just so full of flavour. This one is easy to make and tastes so good.
This recipe I love because after a little prep work, I just pop it in the oven and it cooks while I take my kids to sports, while I read a book, while I watch TV, while I'm doing whatever I want.
I recently made it with a combination of chuck steak and beef cheeks, as that is what I had in the freezer and it was delicious.
Use whatever pasta you love, works beautifully also with fusili, casarece or penne.
You can make this on the stove top over a low heat, stirring regularly to ensure it doesn't burn on the bottom. Simmer it for around 2 hours or until the meat is soft and the sauce has thickened to your liking.
Simple, tasty and something you need to try.
This recipe I love because after a little prep work, I just pop it in the oven and it cooks while I take my kids to sports, while I read a book, while I watch TV, while I'm doing whatever I want.
I recently made it with a combination of chuck steak and beef cheeks, as that is what I had in the freezer and it was delicious.
Use whatever pasta you love, works beautifully also with fusili, casarece or penne.
You can make this on the stove top over a low heat, stirring regularly to ensure it doesn't burn on the bottom. Simmer it for around 2 hours or until the meat is soft and the sauce has thickened to your liking.
Simple, tasty and something you need to try.
Recipe
Serves 4-6
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped pancetta
1.5kg beef chuck steak, cut into large chunks
1/4 cup plain flour
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled, diced
1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 small red chilli, chopped
2 x 400g can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 cups beef stock
3/4 cup red wine
Salt and Freshly ground black pepper
400g tagliatelle or pasta of your choice, I liked Casarecce Siciliane
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped pancetta
1.5kg beef chuck steak, cut into large chunks
1/4 cup plain flour
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled, diced
1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 small red chilli, chopped
2 x 400g can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 cups beef stock
3/4 cup red wine
Salt and Freshly ground black pepper
400g tagliatelle or pasta of your choice, I liked Casarecce Siciliane
Preheat the oven to 180/160C fan forced.
Heat the oil in a large ovenproof casserole dish over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 3-4 minutes until it is golden and crisp. While the pancetta is cooking, place the beef chuck steak and the flour in a snap lock bag, shake the beef about to ensure the flour coats it all over. Remove the pancetta from the dish with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Shake the excess flour off the chuck steak and add it to the casserole dish, cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the meat, and set aside.
To the casserole dish add the onion, carrot, parsley, garlic and chilli, sauté for 2-3 minutes or until onions have softened. Add in the tomato paste, stir through for 20 seconds. Add the tomatoes and pancetta, stir. Add the rosemary, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, beef stock and wine. Season with salt and pepper, stir. Return the meat back to the dish, ensuring it is covered by the liquid. Bring it to the boil with the lid on, then put it in your preheated oven to cook for 2.5 hours.
After the 2.5 hours, bring the casserole dish back to the stove top and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. In this time, once the meat has softened, using tongs, remove the meat from the sauce. Shred or chop up the meat, then return the meat to the sauce. Taste for seasoning, continue to simmer over low heat for 15-20 or until your sauce has reduced enough to coat the pasta. Be careful in the last 20 minutes as it can burn if not stirred frequently. Only cook the sauce until the meat is soft and the sauce is thick enough.
For the pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook as per packet directions.
Once the pasta is cooked and drained, I add a 1-2 ladles full of the sauce to the pasta, and stir it through, this stops the pasta from sticking together, and flavours the pasta. Then at the table, I put pasta into everyone's bowls, and top it with the luscious rib sauce.
Heat the oil in a large ovenproof casserole dish over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 3-4 minutes until it is golden and crisp. While the pancetta is cooking, place the beef chuck steak and the flour in a snap lock bag, shake the beef about to ensure the flour coats it all over. Remove the pancetta from the dish with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Shake the excess flour off the chuck steak and add it to the casserole dish, cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the meat, and set aside.
To the casserole dish add the onion, carrot, parsley, garlic and chilli, sauté for 2-3 minutes or until onions have softened. Add in the tomato paste, stir through for 20 seconds. Add the tomatoes and pancetta, stir. Add the rosemary, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, beef stock and wine. Season with salt and pepper, stir. Return the meat back to the dish, ensuring it is covered by the liquid. Bring it to the boil with the lid on, then put it in your preheated oven to cook for 2.5 hours.
After the 2.5 hours, bring the casserole dish back to the stove top and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. In this time, once the meat has softened, using tongs, remove the meat from the sauce. Shred or chop up the meat, then return the meat to the sauce. Taste for seasoning, continue to simmer over low heat for 15-20 or until your sauce has reduced enough to coat the pasta. Be careful in the last 20 minutes as it can burn if not stirred frequently. Only cook the sauce until the meat is soft and the sauce is thick enough.
For the pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook as per packet directions.
Once the pasta is cooked and drained, I add a 1-2 ladles full of the sauce to the pasta, and stir it through, this stops the pasta from sticking together, and flavours the pasta. Then at the table, I put pasta into everyone's bowls, and top it with the luscious rib sauce.
Enjoy!