Beef Cheek And Red Wine Ragu Food

BIG BATCH: SLOW-COOKED BEEF AND RED WINE RAGU

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 150°c.
• In a large, cast iron pot, combine olive oil and onion onion. Cook on the stovetop on a low heat till softened (about 10 minutes). Add garlic. Cook for 1 minute and stir through.
• Add the chuck steak. Gently seal all sides of the meat (usually about 1 minute on each side). If you're using a smaller pan this will need to be done in stages. Don't overcrowd the pan as the meat will just stew. We're sealing in all the goodness and rendering any fat on the outside!
• Add the beef stock, red wine, canned tomato, tomato paste, bay and thyme. Bring to simmer point on top of stove, then pop in the oven (lid on) for 3 hours.
• Remove from oven. Taste test and make sure that beef is falling apart, so you get shreds of it through the pasta.
• Serve with cooked al-dente pasta, a shaving of good parmesan, basil leaves and a glass of wine!

BEEF CHEEK AND RED WINE RAGU

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a Large Pressure Cooker.
• Brown the beef and onions.
• Brown the garlic.
• Add the wine and let it reduce about 50%.
• Add the thyme, tomatos, tomato paste and carrots.
• Put the cooker on high setting and high heat on the stove top and bring to pressure.
• Reduce heat to low and cook for at LEAST 90 minutes. (120 minutes is better though).
• Remove the meat from the cooker and place in a bowl, shred the meat with two forks, (this step may not be nessessary if you cook for longer.).
• Return the meat to the cooker and then reduce until sauce is thick.
• Meanwhile, while reducing the sauce, get your pasta cooking.
• When you are happy with the sauce and the pasta is ready, serve and enjoy!
• If you are using a crockpot/slowcooker, leave on low heat for 14 hours.

BEEF RAGOUT

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and season the beef all over. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a flameproof casserole over a medium-high heat and brown the beef until dark, about 15 mins, in batches if you need to, using 1 tbsp oil for each batch. Drain the beef in a colander to remove the fat while you cook the rest.
• Wipe out the pan with kitchen paper, then add about 2 tbsp oil, the onions, carrots, celery and garlic with a pinch of salt and cook for 8-10 mins over a low-medium heat. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for a further 3 mins. Add the wine, herbs, tomatoes and stock, season and bring to the boil, stir the beef back into the sauce and reduce to a simmer. Cover and put in the oven for 2 hrs 30 mins, then remove the lid, stir and put back in the oven, uncovered, for 30 mins. Stir or use a fork to roughly shred the beef, and season. Serve now, or chill until serving - it tastes better if made a day ahead.
• When ready to serve, gently reheat the ragout over a medium heat. Cook the pasta in a large pan of salted water for 3 mins, drain then tip into the ragout, toss together with some of the parmesan and leave for 1 min. Ladle the pasta into bowls, scatter over the remaining parmesan and serve.