Brig’s Bites: Super slow cooker beef ragu

Ali Rees

3 years ago

This beef ragu pairs perfectly with gnocchi or pasta, over baked potatoes, wrapped in a tortilla and baked into enchiladas. Using a slow cooker is more energy efficient, and the ragu can be left to cook all day whilst you’re out at uni or work.

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 8 hours

Skill level: ★ ★ ★ ☆☆

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Splash of olive oil
600g beef, chopped into 1-inch cubes
2 tbsp plain flour
100g smoked bacon, chopped
2 onions, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery sticks, diced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp rosemary
100ml milk
2 heaped tbsp tomato puree
200ml white wine
400ml beef stock
Salt, pepper, and caster sugar to taste

Notes on ingredients:

I’ve said beef skirt, but any cubes of beef will work – cheap stewing steak from the supermarket is perfect
If you want to make it gluten free, use corn flour instead of plain flour
You can get fancy by adding pancetta instead of bacon
It’s great if you can get fresh rosemary and chop it up nice and fine, but dry from a jar won’t significantly detract and is much easier
I don’t usually have white wine in so keep a bottle of white wine vinegar in my store cupboard and use that instead because it adds the same acidity
I make beef stock with Knorr stock pots but you can get really fancy with this if you want

Method

Step one: Turn the slow cooker to its lowest setting. Heat the olive oil in a pan. Combine the flour with a good pinch of salt and pepper and dust the beef with it. Over a high heat, cook the floured beef for 4-5 minutes, until it’s nicely browned.

Step two: Set aside the beef and turn the heat down to medium. Add the bacon, carrots, onions, celery, garlic, and rosemary and cook until the veg has softened – around 8 minutes. Stir frequently so it doesn’t stick.

Step three: Pour in the milk and continue to cook until mostly evaporated, then add the tomato puree and stir through for a couple of minutes.

Step four: Add the wine and cook until it has reduced by about half.