Beef Ragu
This Beef Ragu slow cooks chuck roast for 3 hours until it shreds with a fork, in a rich tomato sauce with red wine, garlic, and carrot. Served over pappardelle with Parmesan and parsley. Feeds 8 and it's even better the next day.
Servings: 8
Calories: 630kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pound beef chuck roast cut into 6 equal pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium carrot finely chopped or shredded
- 28 ounce crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 cups beef broth low sodium
- 1 teaspoon sugar
To Serve
- 1 pound pappardelle pasta
- Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Pat the 3 pounds beef chuck roast pieces dry with paper towels, then season with the 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
- Heat the 1 tbsp of olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy based pot. Add the beef to the pot and sear it on all sides until browned, over high heat. Transfer the beef to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the 1 chopped onion, 6 cloves minced garlic, and 1 chopped carrot. Sauté for at least 5 minutes, until the onion softens.
- Add the 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 cup red wine, 2 cups beef broth, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Stir to combine, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer.
- Return the beef to the pot, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Cook for 2 hours, until the beef is tender enough to shred. Keep the lid on.
- Remove the beef and shred it with 2 forks. If it resists, return it to the pot and give it another 30 minutes.
- Return the shredded beef to the pot and stir. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, and sugar as needed. Simmer uncovered for another 30 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
- Cook the 1 pound pappardelle according to package directions. Serve the ragu over the pasta with freshly grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.
Notes
- Dry the beef before searing. Wet beef steams instead of browning.
- Sear in batches. A crowded pot drops the temperature and you lose the crust that flavors the whole sauce.
- Big pieces, not small. Six chunks from a 3 pound roast. Small pieces dry out over a long braise.
- Scrape the pot when the liquid goes in. Those browned bits are the best flavor in the dish.
- Keep the lid on. Every peek lets out heat the pot has to make back.
- If it won't shred, it needs longer. Chuck goes tight before it turns tender.
- Taste at the end. After 3 hours of reducing it may want more salt, or more sugar if your tomatoes were sharp.
- Better on day 2. Make it ahead if you can, and store the sauce separately from the pasta.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 630kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 728mg | Potassium: 1266mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1614IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 6mg
