Beef Ragu

(with note on the Bolognese variation)

Beef chuck browned and braised in red wine, crushed tomatoes, and stock until it falls apart, then shredded back into the sauce and served over wide pasta like pappardelle. It is a braise used as a pasta sauce.

Shown here spooned over pappardelle — the classic way to serve it.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2½ lbs beef chuck, cut into large chunks
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup beef stock
• 2 bay leaves

Braising

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The Most Forgiving Way to Cook Meat→

Method

Brown the beef

Heat the oven to 325°F and season the beef with salt and pepper. Brown it well on all sides in the olive oil in a heavy pot, then remove and set aside.

Build the sauce

Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pot and cook until softened, about 8 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add the wine and let it reduce by half, scraping up the browned bits. Return the beef to the pot and add the crushed tomatoes, stock, and bay leaves.

Braise and shred

Bring to a simmer, press a sheet of aluminum foil over the top of the pot, set the lid on top, and transfer to the oven for about 3 hours, until the beef falls apart with a fork. Remove the beef, shred it, and stir it back into the sauce, then simmer uncovered 10–15 minutes to thicken slightly.

A Note on Bolognese: Bolognese is this same sauce built from ground beef instead of a whole cut. Because ground meat has no connective tissue to break down, it doesn't need hours of low heat the way a chuck roast does — it's simmered, not truly braised, usually for 1½–2 hours, just long enough for the flavors to come together. It's written out in full below, and it's the sauce you'll use later for Lasagna.