Ingredients

  • 2-2.5 lbs chuck roast, cut into 4 pieces
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 T Olive Oil
  • 2 T. Butter
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 carrots, finely diced
  • 2 celery stalks, finely diced
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 3 gloves garlic, minced
  • 3 T. tomato paste
  • 1 c. dry red wine
  • 2 beef bouillon cubes
  • 1 can (28oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1.5 c. water
  • 3/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 3 bay leaves
  • pappardelle

Instructions

  1. Pat beef dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper
  2. Sear Beef: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over high heat in a heavy based pot. Add beef and sear each piece aggressively on all sides until very browned (3 - 5 minutes in total), then remove onto a plate.
  3. Turn stove down to medium low and add 2 tbsp of butter.
  4. Soffrito: Add garlic and onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the carrots and celery and sauté slowly for 5 minutes.
  5. Add beef (including juices) and soffrito to crock pot.
  6. Add remaining Ragu ingredients to crock pot. Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 4-6 hours.
  7. Shred: Remove beef then coarsely shred with 2 forks. Return beef to the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes until sauce is reduced and thickened - beef will soften slightly more during this step.
  8. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and add directly to pot. Add up to 3/4 c. pasta water as needed and toss.