Slow Cooker Italian Beef Ragu
Ingredients
3-4lbs beef roast the cheapest cut will do
2 tbsp olive oil
2-3 sprigs handful each fresh rosemary and fresh thyme stems discarded and leaves finely chopped
1 small red onion peeled and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped
1 carrot peeled and finely chopped
1 celery stick finely chopped
1 ½ cups red wine such as Chianti
14oz cans chopped tomatoes crushed tomatoes for North America
2 tbsp pearl barley optional
1 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper
1lb fresh or dried pappardelle pasta or rigatoni
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 handfuls grated Parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
Directions
Chop onion, carrot and celery, mince garlic and chop rosemary and thyme and put everything on the bottom of a crock pot.
Cut roast into 2″-3″ cubes and brown them in olive oil in a frying pan over high heat in stages, don’t overcrowd the meat so it browns nicely. Add it to the vegetables.
Taking the frying pan off the heat, pour wine into the pan and use wooden spoon to loosen all the delicious bits from the bottom of the pan, that’s where much of the flavor is concentrated. Pour the wine into the crock pot along with canned tomatoes.
Sprinkle barley all over, which will add texture and more flavor to your ragu, not to mention fiber and nutrients. Add a teaspoon of salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook on low for 10-12 hours.
In the last hour take the lid off and shred the beef with two forks, add one more tablespoon of fresh rosemary and thyme and a splash of water or wine if the meat is too dry. Cook for one hour longer.
At the end of cooking time stir in butter for more flavor and to add a gloss to your ragu.
Before serving cook your pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions. Combine ⅓ of beef ragu with hot pasta and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
