Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 12 hrs | Total Time: 12 hrs 20 mins | Servings: 8 plus leftovers
This crockpot ragu pairs with any pasta of your choice. An extremely scrumptious sauce is slowly simmered in your trusty cooker to achieve the maximum flavour. A crowd favourite that takes a little effort to make!
Ingredients
3-4 pounds beef roast (the cheapest cut will do)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 sprigs handful each fresh rosemary and fresh thyme stems discarded and leaves finely chopped
1 small red onion peeled and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped
1 carrot peeled and finely chopped
1 celery stick finely chopped
375ml/ 1 ½ c. red wine such as Chianti
3×400 grams/14 ounces cans chopped tomatoes crushed tomatoes for North America
2 tbsp pearl barley optional
1 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper
500 grams fresh or dried pappardelle pasta or rigatoni
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 handfuls grated Parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
How to make Crock Pot Rustic Italian Beef Ragu
Step 1: Start by chopping the onions, carrots, and celery. Mince the garlic, then chop the rosemary and thyme. Place them on the bottom of a crockpot.
Step 2: Into 2 to 3-inch cubes, cut the roast. In a frying pan with olive oil, cook the cubed roasts over high heat until browned. Do this in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. When done, remove the pan from the heat and add the browned roasts to the vegetables in the crockpot.
Step 3: Into the frying pan, pour the wine. Loosen the bits from the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon. Into the pot, pour the wine followed by the canned tomatoes.
Step 4: Sprinkle the parsley on top of the mixture in the crockpot. Parsley will add texture and more flavour to the ragu plus fibre and nutrients. Season with a tsp salt and freshly ground pepper.
Step 5: Set the crockpot on low and cook for 10 to 12 hours.
Step 6: Take the lid off in the last hour of cooking. Using two forks, shred the beef, then add another tbsp of fresh rosemary and thyme. If the meat is too dry, add a splash of water and wine. And cook for another hour.
Step 7: For more flavour and to add a gloss to the ragu, stir in the butter at the end of cooking time.
Step 8: Following the package directions, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water. When done, drain the pasta and combine it with 1/3 of the beef ragu. Then, sprinkle with some Parmesan cheese. You can freeze the remaining ragu. Enjoy!