Slow-Cooked Beef Ragu
A slow-cooked beef chuck ragu simmered low and slow with red wine, tomatoes and herbs until the meat is fall-apart tender and the sauce becomes rich deep and full of flavour. Simple ingredients long cook big payoff a comforting pasta sauce perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 brown onions finely diced
- 2 large carrots finely diced
- 2 celery stalks finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 1 kg beef chuck cut into 2 cm cubes
- 125 ml dry red wine
- 125 g tomato paste
- 700 ml tomato passata
- 250-500 ml beef stock
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- Optional: rosemary sprig or parmesan rind
- Rigatoni or pappardelle to serve
- Fresh parmesan to finish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook 6–8 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Increase heat to medium-high and brown beef in batches until deeply coloured.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook 2–3 minutes until darkened and fragrant.
- Add red wine and scrape up the bottom of the pot. Reduce by half.
- Add passata, 250 ml stock, seasoning, herbs, and optional parmesan rind. Cover and simmer 2½–3 hours on low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Shred beef in the pot. Simmer uncovered 10–20 minutes to thicken. Adjust texture with butter or pasta water if desired.
- Toss with pasta and finish with parmesan and black pepper.
Notes
- Sauce thickens as it cools
- Add pasta water to help the sauce cling to pasta
- Leftovers are perfect for lasagna or baked pasta
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days
- Freezer: Store in a freezer safe airtight container for up to 3 months
- Reheat: Gently on the stove with a splash of stock or water until loosened and hot.
Tried this recipe?
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Mention @thewifewiththeknife or tag #wifewiththeknife