Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
Slow Cooker Beef Ragu: Amazing, Easy Dinner! Tender beef ragu, effortlessly made in your slow cooker. Enjoy a delicious, stress-free meal tonight!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 3-4 pounds beef chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 pound pappardelle pasta
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (for gremolata)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (for gremolata)
- 1 clove garlic, minced (for gremolata)
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated (for gremolata)
- 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt (for gremolata)
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (for gremolata)
Instructions
- Pat your beef chuck roast super dry with paper towels. Season it generously all over with a good sprinkle of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully place the seasoned beef into the hot pan and sear on all sides until deeply browned and caramelized, about 3-4 minutes per side. Once beautifully browned, transfer the beef to your slow cooker.
- To the same skillet, if needed, add a touch more olive oil. Toss in your chopped yellow onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté these vegetables until they’re softened and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for another 2 minutes until the tomato paste darkens slightly.
- Pour in the dry red wine. Let it simmer and scrape up any remaining delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, letting the wine reduce by about half, which takes roughly 3-5 minutes. Carefully transfer this aromatic vegetable and wine mixture from the skillet into the slow cooker, nestling it around the seared beef. Now, pour in the crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Add your fresh rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves directly into the sauce. Give everything a gentle stir to combine, ensuring the beef is mostly submerged in the liquid.
- Cover your slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the beef is incredibly tender and easily shreds with a fork. Once cooked, carefully remove the beef from the slow cooker and transfer it to a large bowl. Using two forks, shred the beef into succulent pieces. Discard the herb stems and bay leaves from the sauce. Taste the sauce – this is your chance to adjust seasonings! If it needs more salt or pepper, add it now. Return the shredded beef back into the slow cooker with the sauce, stirring to combine everything.
- In a small bowl, combine finely chopped fresh parsley, grated lemon zest, and minced garlic. Give it a good stir to ensure everything is evenly distributed. This mixture should be bright green and incredibly aromatic.
- Cook your favorite pasta according to package directions, aiming for a perfect al dente texture. Drain the pasta, then either toss it directly with the ragu in a large bowl, or ladle generous portions of ragu over individual servings of pasta. To plate, create a beautiful mound of pasta and ragu on each dish. Then, generously sprinkle a helping of your freshly made gremolata over the top. A final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a twist of freshly cracked black pepper will complete this rustic, elegant masterpiece.
Notes
This Slow Cooker Beef Ragu is a symphony of rich, deep flavors, slowly simmered to perfection until the beef is impossibly tender and shreds with just a gentle nudge. Imagine succulent pieces of beef enveloped in a luscious, thick tomato-based sauce, infused with aromatic herbs and a touch of red wine, creating an unforgettable depth that coats every strand of pasta. It’s the kind of meal that wraps you in a warm hug, perfect for chilly evenings or a cozy weekend gathering. Get ready to fall head over heels for this incredibly satisfying and remarkably easy-to-make dish!