Slow Cooker Beef Ragu

Hearty, rich and delicious ragu sauce with fall-apart beef slow cooked to tender perfection. Serve this rich and meaty Italian ragu over tagliatelle with plenty of grated Parmesan for the ultimate comfort meal.

📝 Ingredients

• 1.3 kg (3 pounds) casserole beef (such as shin, cut into chunks)
• 200 g (7oz) cubed pancetta
• 3 tbsp olive oil ((for hob version))
• 2 onions (, finely chopped)
• 3 carrots (, finely diced)
• 3 celery sticks (, finely diced)
• 3 garlic cloves (, minced)
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 140 g (5oz) tomato purée (paste)
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) red wine such as Chianti
• 2 bay leaves
• small piece Parmesan rind
• 500 ml (2 cups) hot beef stock (increase to 750ml (3 cups) for hob version)
• salt and pepper to season
• cooked pasta such as Tagliatelle or Pappardelle (or choose your favourite)
• fresh parsley (, chopped to serve)
• 1 lemon (, zest only to garnish)
• grated Parmesan cheese (to serve, as much as you like)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Slow Cooker Beef Ragu ---
2. 2If your slow cooker allows for searing then cook as instructed below. If it doesn’t you can simply add the ingredients and skip the browning.
3. 3Add the red wine and bring to a simmer, cooking for 5 minutes.
4. 4Top with the beef cubes, add the hot beef stock, bay leaves and cheese rind.
5. 5Cover and cook on LOW setting for 8-10 hours, stirring halfway through.
6. 6Check the beef with a fork – it should be very tender and literally melting into the sauce. Use two forks to shred any large pieces of the beef against the side of the cooker.
7. 7Continue to cook for another hour on HIGH until the ragu thickens.
8. 8Discard the bay leaves and cheese rind, check the seasoning and serve tossed with pasta . Add grated Parmesan, the parsley and lemon zest and enjoy.
9. 9--- Cooking on the hob /oven ---
10. 10Use 750ml (3 cups) beef stock for this version.
11. 11Preheat the oven to 150C (300F). Heat a large the oil in a large casserole dish or Dutch oven.
12. 12Add the beef, in batches, and sear over high heat until nicely coloured. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl.
13. 13Add the pancetta to the pan and cook until it starts to render the fat and become a bit crispy. Transfer to the bowl with the beef.
14. 14Add the onion, celery, carrot, sugar, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring often, until softened but not coloured.
15. 15Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and then the wine and bring to a simmer.
16. 16Add the beef, pancetta and stock and bring to a simmer.
17. 17Cover the pot tightly, transfer to the oven and cook for 4 hours.
18. 18Take the pot out of the oven and shred the beef using two forks. Return to the oven and cook for a further 30 minutes, with the lid off if you need to thicken the sauce.
19. 19Discard the bay leaves and cheese rind, check the seasoning and serve tossed with pasta . Add grated Parmesan, the parsley and lemon zest and enjoy.
20. 20--- Use 250ml / 1 cup of stock in this version ---
21. 21For best taste sear the beef and cook the soffritto first (following steps 1-4 of hob method). Otherwise add all the ingredients to your pressure cooker and cook on HIGH pressure for 50 minutes.
22. 22Allow the pressure to release naturally. Shred the beef, discard the bay leaves and cheese rind and check the seasoning.
23. 23Cook on Sauté with lid off for 15-20 minutes if the sauce needs to be reduced further.