Tender Slow Cooker Beef Ragu Pasta

RUSTIC ITALIAN FLAVORS - EFFORTLESSY DELICIOUS

A budget cut of beef, simple pantry ingredients, a bit of patience and your favorite pasta. This Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce may be the king of all pasta dishes. It is hands down an all-time favorite...maybe it will be for you too!   

This will be great with any type of pasta, but the best pasta for a rich sauce like this ragu is pappardelle. This wide, flat pasta is especially great for this recipe because the shredded beef clings to the wide strands.   

​Serves: 6

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Full Recipe

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INGREDIENTS

• 2.5 lb chuck beef or other slow cooking beef cut, cut into equal 4 pieces
• 1 tbsp salt
• Black pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil, separated
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1 quart crushed tomatoes
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1.5 cups beef broth
• 1 cup red wine, full bodied
• 3/4 tsp dried thyme or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 dried bay leaves

DIRECTIONS - RAGU

1. Pat beef dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper
2. Sear Beef: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over high heat in a heavy based pot. Add beef and sear each piece aggressively on all sides until very browned (3 - 5 minutes in total), then remove onto a plate.
3. Turn stove down to medium low and add the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil.
4. Sofrito: Add garlic and onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the carrots and celery and sauté slowly for 5 minutes.
5. Transfer all to a slow cooker/crockpot, add wine and remaining ragu ingredients. Cook on low for 6-8 hours
6. Shred: Remove beef then coarsely shred with 2 forks. Return beef to the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes until sauce is reduced and thickened - beef will soften slightly more during this step.
7. Do a taste test and adjust the seasoning to your taste with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 tsp sugar if sauce is a bit sour for your taste.
8. Place the lid on and set aside until ready to serve (it's even better the next day and freezes well for months!).

DIRECTIONS - PASTA / SERVING

1. Bring a large pot of water with 1 tbsp of salt to the boil.
2. Add pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the recommended cooking time.
3. Meanwhile, place 5 cups of the Ragu in a very large fry pan, Dutch oven or use 2 normal size fry pans. 
4. Heat over high heat while the pasta is cooking.
5. When the pasta is ready, transfer it directly from the pot into the fry pan using tongs.
6. Add 3/4 cup of pasta water into the fry pan.
7. Gently toss the pasta for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce water evaporates and leaves you with a thick Ragu sauce that coats the pasta.
8. Yell for your family to sit down at the dinner table because you need to serve it immediately!
9. Serve with plenty of freshly grated parmesan, or even better, with parmigiano reggiano.

Buon appetito !                               

​Mangia mangia!

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