Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Pasta

• Meat

  • 2 1/2 lb Beek brisket or any other slow cooking beef

• Produce

  • 3 Bay leaves, dried
  • 1 cup Carrots
  • 1 cup Celery
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 Parsley, fresh
  • 28 oz Tomatoes, canned

• Canned Goods

  • 2 Beef bouillon cubes
  • 3 tbsp Tomato paste

• Pasta & Grains

  • 1 lb Spaghetti or other pasta, dried

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 Black pepper
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • 1 Salt and pepper

• Oils & Vinegars

  • 3 tbsp Olive oil

• Dairy

  • 1 Parmesan cheese or parmigiano reggiano

• Liquids

  • 3 cups Water

Found on recipetineats.com

Description

Ingredients

• 2.5lb / 1.2kg beek brisket or any other slow cooking beef, cut into equal 4 pieces (Note 1)
• 1 tbsp salt
• Black pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil, separated
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 cup carrots, diced (optional) (Note 2)
• 1 cup celery, diced (optional) (Note 2)
• 28oz/800g crushed canned tomatoes
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 beef bouillon cubes (Note 3)
• 3 cups water (Note 3)
• 3 dried bay leaves
• Extra salt and pepper, to taste
• 1lb/500g dried spaghetti or other pasta of choice (rigatoni and pappardelle are ideal)
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese or parmigiano reggiano
• Fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)

Directions

• Pat beef dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper
• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over high heat in a heavy based pot. Add beef and sear each piece on all sides until browned (around 3 minutes in total), then remove onto a plate.
• Turn stove down to medium low and add remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil.
• Add garlic and onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the carrots and celery and sauté slowly for 5 minutes.
• Add remaining Ragu ingredients (except extra salt and pepper) and return the beef to the pot (add the juices too). Turn the stove up and bring it to a simmer, then turn it down to low (Note 7) (see Note 8 for slow cooker). Cover the pot and let it cook for 1 hr 45 minutes. Then remove the lid and let it cook for a further 30 minutes until the beef is tender enough to pull apart with forks and the liquid has reduced to be a thick sauce.
• Do a taste test and adjust the seasoning to your taste with salt and pepper. ALSO add a little but of sugar (1/2 tsp at a time!) if it is a bit sour for your taste (Note 6)
• Turn the stove off and remove the beef from the sauce into a large bowl. Shred it coarsely with two forks. Then return it to the sauce. Place the lid on and set aside until ready to serve (its even better the next day!).
• Bring a very large pot of water with 1 tbsp of salt to the boil.
• Add pasta and cook for 2 minutes less than the recommended cooking time as per the packet instructions.
• Meanwhile, place 5 cups of the Ragu in a very large fry pan, or use 2 normal size fry pans. (Note 4) 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 1 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.