Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Pasta

January 12, 2024

INGREDIENTS

RAGU

1.2kg flank steak, cut into equal 3-4 pieces
1 tbsp salt
Black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil , separated
3 cloves garlic , minced
1 onion , diced
1 cup carrots , diced (Note 2)
1 cup celery , diced (Note 2)
400g crushed canned tomatoes
400g tinned cherry tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 beef bouillon cube
250ml red wine , full bodied (like merlot, cabernet sauvignon), or sub with beef broth/stock
375 ml beef stock
3/4 tsp dried thyme or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 dried bay leaves

TO SERVE (NOT ALL SAUCE IS USED)

DIRECTIONS

Pat beef dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper
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.
Turn stove down to medium low and add remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil.
Sofrito: Add garlic and onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the carrots and celery and sauté slowly for 5 minutes.
Turn heat up to high, add wine, stir and simmer for 3 minutes. Then transfer it all to the slow cooker and add all remaining ingredients.
Pressure cook on high for 40 minutes.
Shred: Remove beef then coarsely shred with 2 forks. Return beef to the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes or until sauce is reduced and thickened – beef will soften slightly more during this step.
Final season: Do a taste test and adjust the seasoning to your taste with salt and pepper. Place the lid on and set aside until ready to serve (it’s even better the next day and freezes well for months!).

TO SERVE

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

NOTES Start the pasta only after source and meat are ready. serve mixed as per the recipe.

Recipe reference and US measures

US measures and estimates below are retained from the existing recipe reference.

Slow-Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Pasta

Flank steak cooked with tomatoes, vegetables, red wine and herbs, shredded and served with pappardelle. Yield is not specified.

Pat the beef dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy-based pot over high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until deeply browned, about 3–5 minutes total. Remove to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the remaining 2 tbsp oil. Sauté the garlic and onion for 2 minutes, then add the carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes.
Turn the heat to high, add the wine and simmer for 3 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker and add the remaining ragu ingredients. The source then says “pressure cook on high for 40 minutes”; the appliance is unclear, so confirm which appliance and setting to use before following this step.
Remove the beef and shred it with two forks. Return it to the pot and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Taste and adjust seasoning. The ragu can be made ahead and frozen.
When ready to serve, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water for 1 minute less than the packet directs. Meanwhile, heat about 5 cups ragu in a large frying pan.
Transfer the pasta to the pan with tongs. Add ¾ cup pasta water and toss for 1–2 minutes, until the sauce coats the pasta. Serve immediately with grated Parmesan and optional parsley.

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