red wine beef ragu
One of the things I have enjoyed about my gap semester is the chance to cook a bit more. In particular, I have really enjoyed the chance to make some dishes that take a bit longer.
One of my favorite dishes I’ve made so far has been this really comforting beef ragu. While it definitely takes some time to come together, most of the cooking time is pretty hands-off. That means that once everything is in the pan, you can go laundry, workout, or if you’re me, rot on the couch while watching tv.
The best bit is definitely when the ragu is reaching its final stages and this delicious, comforting smell begins wafting through your kitchen. The perfect meal to make during this chilly winter months. I’m going to be honest, I devoured this within minutes while curled up on the couch.
she’s beautiful.
Red Wine Beef Ragu
Serves: 3
time: 2.5 hours
Ingredients:
700 g chuck roast
2 medium onions, diced
3-5 stalks of celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
5 tbs olive oil
1/3 cup tomato paste
500 g passata
3 bay leaves
1 tbs dried thyme
A generous pour of red wine (I used probably around two cups or 16 oz)
salt and pepper to taste
Four cups of beef stock
12 oz dried mafaldine
Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, to garnish
steps:
Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat with 2 tbs olive oil until hot.
Season the chuck roast and place in pan. Sear until brown both sides, about 5 minutes total.
Remove the beef and set aside. Add remaining olive oil as well as the thyme, carrot, onion, and celery. Sauté while stirring frequently until the onion is somewhat translucent, 5-10 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and stir until incorporated.
Deglaze the pan with the red wine, scraping the pan to loosen fond.
Once the alcohol smell has mostly dissipated and the wine has almost completely reduced, add in the stock, passata, and bay leaves and bring to a boil.
Add the beef back in, cover with a lid, and turn heat to low.
Cook for around two hours, or until beef is tender and easily shreds with a fork. Stir occasionally to prevent the vegetables from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Take the beef out and shred on a cutting board or very large plate with a fork.
Return shredded beef to pot and store to incorporate.
Make the pasta: boil heavily salted water and cook pasta until al dente. Then, toss pasta and about a cup of the pasta water into the ragu, and stir until the noodles are fairly evenly covered in sauce. Serve with a generous portion of cheese grated on top.
