Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
Slow Cooker Beef Ragu is a rich and tender, fall-apart tomato beef sauce. With all the magic happening in your slow cooker for a ready-made dinner!
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 432kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 4 pounds beef brisket or round roast, or any slow cooking beef of your choice, trimmed of fat
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic finely copped or minced
- 28 ounce tomatoes crushed or diced, 2 cans
- ½ cup red wine or beef broth / stock
- ½ cup beef broth stock
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 beef bouillon cube
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1-2 teaspoons salt adjust to your tastes
- 1 pinch cracked pepper to taste
- 1-2 teaspoons sugar adjust to your tastes
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water - optional for a thick sauce
Instructions
- Cut beef into 4 pieces. OPTIONAL FOR ADDED FLAVOUR: Heat olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Sear each piece of beef on both sides until browned (about 5 minutes each side). Transfer each piece to your 6qt slow cooker bowl as soon as they are seared.
- You should have left over oil in the pan (or skillet) from the beef. If not, add 1 tablespoon of (extra) oil to the pan. Fry the garlic until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add the onion and fry until transparent. Add the garlic/onion mixture over the beef in the slow cooker, plus all remaining ingredients (except for the cornstarch/water mixture).
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours, or HIGH for 4-5 hours.The beef is ready if it falls apart easily when pulled apart with two forks.
- NOTE: If you desire a thicker sauce, stir the cornstarch/water mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes and allow to thicken.
- Shred the beef into pieces; mix through the sauce. Serve over pasta, rice, polenta, zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash.
Notes
IF SERVING WITH PASTA: In the last 15 minutes of cooking time, boil pasta in salted water following packet instructions. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta water. Pour the reserved water back into the pasta along with 2 cups of cooked ragu. Stir until the sauce is thick enough to coat the pasta. Serve with parmesan cheese and (extra) chopped parsley, if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 841mg | Potassium: 1.179mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 343IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 6mg