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4.88 from 24 votes

Slow Cooked Beef Ragu

Nothing beats a bowl of warm, comforting, saucy braised beef ragu with pappardelle pasta! This easy beef ragu recipe is perfect for a cozy Sunday family dinner or pasta night.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time3 hours 40 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 12 cups
Calories: 477kcal
Author: Eden Westbrook

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • Kosher Salt
  • 3 pounds chuck roast cut into 5-6 pieces
  • 1 medium yellow onion small diced
  • 2 carrots washed, peeled, small diced
  • 2 celery stalks washed, small diced
  • 8 cloves of garlic minced
  • Leaves from 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • A small handful of fresh basil
  • 6 cups beef broth
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • 1 28-ounce can tomatoes, puréed, crushed, or whole*
  • 1 parmesan rind optional
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Kosher salt and freshly grated black pepper to taste.
  • Extra basil grated parmesan cheese, for garnish
  • Pappardelle pasta for serving

Instructions

  • Season the chuck roast pieces generously with kosher salt on every side. Large pieces of meat need plenty of salt.
  • Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place the chuck roast into the pot and allow it to sear on each side, using tongs to flip them. PRO TIP: the beef will release itself from the pan once it's done searing on that side. If it doesn't lift, don't force it, just wait.
  • Once all sides are seared a deep brown, remove the beef to a plate and set aside.
  • Turn the heat down to medium, then sauté the onions, carrots, and celery for 5 minutes or until translucent and starting to turn golden brown, stirring with a wooden spoon frequently. Add the garlic, thyme leaves, and basil to the pot and let cook for another 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the seared chuck roast and the accumulated juices back to the pot.
  • Deglaze the dutch oven with a cup of beef broth, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to incorporate the fond. Pour in the rest of the beef broth, red pepper flakes (if using), canned tomatoes, the parmesan rind, and bay leaves. Let the ragu sauce come to a lively simmer, stirring occasionally.
  • Once it comes to a simmer, cover the pot with a lid, turn the heat down to low, and let cook for 2 ½ to 4 hours or until the meat easily shreds with a fork, stirring every so often to make sure nothing burns on the bottom. You can also place the covered pot into a 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) oven for the same amount of time.
  • Give a taste and season with more kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper if needed. Skim any excess fat off the top of the ragu, if desired, and remove the parmesan rind, bay leaves, and basil leaves before serving.
  • Serve the beef ragu hot over cooked pappardelle pasta, with a few leaves of basil and freshly grated parmesan.

Notes

Storing, Reheating, and Freezing

Store the ragu sauce by itself in the fridge in an airtight container for up to five days.
Don't store the sauce with the pasta, because the noodles will soak up all the moisture and you'll end up with swollen, soggy noodles and dry ragu.

To reheat the sauce

stovetop: Transfer the beef ragu to a medium saucepan, add in a hearty splash of broth, milk, or water, and warm through over medium heat, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing burns on the bottom. Serve hot.
  • microwave: Place a serving of ragu in a microwave safe bowl with a tablespoon or so of milk, water, or broth. Microwave on high for two minutes, give it a stir, and see if the ragu is warmed through. If not, heat in 30 second intervals, stirring each time.

Freezing and Thawing Instructions

  1. Prepare the beef ragu recipe according to instructions.
  2. Let sauce cool completely to room temperature.
  3. Transfer sauce to freezer-safe airtight containers or freezer bags with as much air removed from the bag as possible. I like using my FoodSaver and vacuuming the air out for extra security.
  4. Label the bags/containers with the name of the recipe and the date it was made.
  5. Freeze for up to 3 months. You might want to write that on the label, too!
  6. When ready to use, let the ragu thaw in the fridge overnight. You can also thaw it in a sous vide setup if you have one.
  7. Reheat the ragu sauce using the instructions above while you boil the pasta.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 477kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 844mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g