Shredded Beef Ragu
Shredded Beef Ragu
Ingredients
For the Ragu
- 2.5 pounds chuck beef, cut into equal 4 pieces (or 8, if you want to slow-cook a bit faster)
- 2 teaspoons cooking salt, or kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, separated
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup carrot, finely diced or shredded using box grater
- 1 cup celery, finely diced or shredded using box grater
- 28 ounces crushed canned tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 dried bay leaves
- 2 thyme sprigs, or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 beef bouillon cubes, crumbled (OXO crumbles well)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup red wine, anything as long as it’s not too oaky
To Serve
- 1 pound pappardelle, or other wide pasta
- as needed Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Sprinkle the beef with the salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Brown the beef well on all sides (if you cut into 8 pieces, do this in 2 batches), ensuring it is still raw inside. Remove the beef from the pot.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot. Cook the onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Then, add the carrot and celery and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally (do not rush this part, as they sweeten during this process).
⏱️ 7 min
- 3
Add the remaining Ragu ingredients (crushed canned tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme, beef bouillon cubes, water, and red wine), along with the browned beef and any juices from the plate, into the pot. Turn the heat up to high until the mixture is bubbling, then reduce to low or medium low so it is simmering gently. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 2 – 2 1/2 hours (check at 2 hours), until the beef is soft enough to shred.
⏱️ 150 min
- 4
Remove the beef from the sauce. Shred the beef using two forks, then return it into the sauce. Simmer on low for 30 minutes (with no lid) to thicken the sauce.
⏱️ 35 min
- 5
To serve: Cook the pappardelle pasta (or other pasta) according to package instructions, but minus 1 minute from the recommended cook time. Just before draining the pasta, scoop out 1 large mugful of pasta cooking water and reserve it.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Return the drained pasta into the pot. Add 4 - 5 cups of ragu plus 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Toss over medium high heat until the watery sauce thickens and is clinging to the pasta, staining it red.
⏱️ 3 min
- 7
Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Shredded Beef Ragu
For the Ragu
- 2.5 pounds chuck beef, cut into equal 4 pieces (or 8, if you want to slow-cook a bit faster)
- 2 teaspoons cooking salt, or kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, separated
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup carrot, finely diced or shredded using box grater
- 1 cup celery, finely diced or shredded using box grater
- 28 ounces crushed canned tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 dried bay leaves
- 2 thyme sprigs, or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 beef bouillon cubes, crumbled (OXO crumbles well)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup red wine, anything as long as it’s not too oaky
To Serve
- 1 pound pappardelle, or other wide pasta
- as needed Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Sprinkle the beef with the salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Brown the beef well on all sides (if you cut into 8 pieces, do this in 2 batches), ensuring it is still raw inside. Remove the beef from the pot.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot. Cook the onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Then, add the carrot and celery and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally (do not rush this part, as they sweeten during this process).
⏱️ 7 min - 3
Add the remaining Ragu ingredients (crushed canned tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme, beef bouillon cubes, water, and red wine), along with the browned beef and any juices from the plate, into the pot. Turn the heat up to high until the mixture is bubbling, then reduce to low or medium low so it is simmering gently. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 2 – 2 1/2 hours (check at 2 hours), until the beef is soft enough to shred.
⏱️ 150 min - 4
Remove the beef from the sauce. Shred the beef using two forks, then return it into the sauce. Simmer on low for 30 minutes (with no lid) to thicken the sauce.
⏱️ 35 min - 5
To serve: Cook the pappardelle pasta (or other pasta) according to package instructions, but minus 1 minute from the recommended cook time. Just before draining the pasta, scoop out 1 large mugful of pasta cooking water and reserve it.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Return the drained pasta into the pot. Add 4 - 5 cups of ragu plus 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Toss over medium high heat until the watery sauce thickens and is clinging to the pasta, staining it red.
⏱️ 3 min - 7
Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.