Beef Cheek Ragu Food

BEEF CHEEK RAGù

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160ºC/325ºF/gas 3. Cover the porcini with boiling kettle water and leave to rehydrate. Season the beef cheeks with sea salt and black pepper, then brown them in a large casserole pan on a high heat with a splash of oil, turning until well coloured all over. Meanwhile, slice the pancetta into lardons. Peel the celery, onions and carrots, then chop into rough 1cm dice. In a pestle and mortar, crush the cloves with 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, then peel and pound in the fresh garlic.
• When brown, push the cheeks to one side of the pan and reduce to a medium heat. Add the pancetta and cinnamon, stirring until the pancetta is lightly golden. Drain the porcini, reserving the liquor, then roughly chop and add to the pan with the veg. Tie the herbs together, then stir in with the garlic mixture. Fry for 15 minutes, or until soft, stirring occasionally.
• Pour in the wine, let it reduce by half, then pour in the reserved porcini water (discarding just the last gritty bit) and the passata. Fill the passata bottle with water and pour into the pan. Cover with a scrunched-up sheet of wet greaseproof paper and a lid. Cook in the oven for 4 hours, or until the meat is outrageously tender and the sauce has thickened. Taste the sauce and season, if needed, then serve up however you wish.

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 CHEEK RAGU

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F/gas mark 3.
• Heat the oil in a large ovenproof casserole.
• Brown the cheeks all over on a high heat, remove from the casserole and set aside.
• Lower the heat, then add the onion, garlic, celery and carrot to the casserole and fry for 3 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened.
• Return the meat to the casserole.
• Sprinkle the herbs over the vegetables.
• Crumbled the stock cubes over the meat.
• Turn up the heat and pour in the wine, letting it sizzle for a few minutes.
• Pour in the passata and add the sugar.
• Give everything a good stir and wait for the stew to reach a slow simmering point.
• Place the lid on the casserole and transfer it to the oven.
• After 1 hour, remove the lid and cook for another 3 hours. Check on the meat once in a while, turning over the top pieces so that their surfaces don't harden and burn.
• Place the lid back on, lower the heat to 140°C/275°F/gas mark 1.
• The meat should now fall apart with the touch of a fork. Remove the casserole from the oven and shred the meat to desired consistency.
• Serve on a bed of buttered pappardelle and a glass of red wine.

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.