What isn’t there to love about slow cooked meals? Once you’ve prepped this meal, there is nothing more to do but count down the hours until you can eat this delicious slow cooked Beef Ragu. Full of wonderful hearty and uncomplicated flavours, and using cheaper cuts of meat, this is a crowd pleaser that won’t break the bank!
BEEF RAGU
- Nutritional Breakdown: per portion (whole recipe)
(g)
- Calories: 644 (4508)
- Carbs: 7.86 (55)
- Fat: 37.57 (263)
- Protein: 58.57 (410)
- Sodium: 441.86 (3093)
- Sugar: 3.43 (24)
- Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 3 to 8 hrs
Serves 6 to 8
INGREDIENTS
- 2 kg gravy beef (alternative cuts can include diced beef or chuck steak)
- 1 large brown onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 red chilli, diced
- 1 red capsicum, diced
- 2 celery sticks, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 1 tsp Nuvia Sweetener
- ½ tsp ground paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup wine and 1 cup water
- 400 grams canned diced tomatoes
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- Plain flour for dusting beef (optional if gluten-free)
- Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
METHOD
- 1. If cooking this recipe in the oven, preheat oven to 180°C.
- 2. Cut beef into large bite size chunks (around 3 to 4 cm cubes).
- 3. Place flour in a bag and add beef in batches, shaking to ensure pieces are coated.
- 4. In a large frypan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and add beef in batches. Cook until well browned, remove and set aside. Continue until all beef has been browned.
- 5. Using the same frypan, add a little more olive oil and add onions, garlic, and chilli, cooking until softened and fragrant.
- 6. Add capsicum, cinnamon, paprika, cumin and Nuvia sweetener and cook for a further minute.
- 7. Add carrots and celery and allow to cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened.
- 8. Add the red wine, chicken stock and water and bring to the boil.
- 9. Once boiling, remove from heat and add bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
- 10. If cooking in a slow cooker, add the beef to the bottom of the pot, then pour sauce over the top, add bay leaves and seasoning to taste.
- 11. Set cooker for 8 hours on slow.
- 12. Alternatively, if cooking in the oven, place beef in a large oven proof dish, then pour sauce over top, add bay leaves, thyme sprigs and seasoning to taste. Cover with baking paper, place lid or aluminium foil over the top wrapping tightly, and place in the oven to cook for 3 to 4 hours or until beef is tender and falls apart.
- 13. Stir through parsley and serve with pappardelle or polenta topped with parmesan cheese.
TIPS AND TWEAKS
This dish can be made ahead and frozen in portions for quick weeknight dinners when time is limited.
To freeze, simply place in suitable freezer containers, then wrap in freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
THAWING
Remove from freezer the night before and place in fridge to thaw overnight, then reheat in microwave.
Alternatively, it can be defrosted in the microwave on the defrost or a very low setting and then reheated.
