If there is a more forgiving, satisfying dinner than slow cooker beef ragù, I have not found it. You put everything in the pot in the morning, turn it on low, and come home to the kind of smell that makes the whole family appear in the kitchen without being called. This is not a minor achievement.
The long, slow braise is what transforms a cheap cut of beef into something that falls apart at the touch of a fork and has absorbed every flavour in the pot. Shin, chuck, or oyster blade all work beautifully. I tend to use whatever is on special at the butcher. The ragù doesn't care, and neither do I.
Serve over pappardelle (the wide, flat pasta is built for this sauce) with a ridiculous amount of parmesan and, if you're feeling generous, a glass of whatever red wine didn't make it into the pot. This reheats brilliantly and freezes perfectly, so I always make double.
"Come home to that smell and tell me slow cooking isn't magic."
Ingredients
- 1kg beef chuck or shin, cut into large pieces
- 400g tin crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup (250ml) beef stock
- ½ cup (125ml) red wine
- 1 large brown onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- Salt and pepper, pappardelle and parmesan to serve
Method
Step 1
Season the beef pieces generously with salt and pepper. If time allows, brown them in batches in a hot frypan with a little oil — this adds flavour but is genuinely optional if you're in a rush.
Step 2
Place the onion, carrot, celery and garlic in the slow cooker. Add the beef on top, then pour in the crushed tomatoes, stock and wine. Add the tomato paste, bay leaves and thyme. Give everything a gentle stir.
Step 3
Cook on LOW for 8–10 hours, or HIGH for 5–6 hours. The beef should fall apart when you touch it with a fork. Remove the bay leaves and thyme stalks.
Step 4
Use two forks to shred the beef through the sauce — some will collapse completely, which is the goal. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve over cooked pappardelle with an embarrassing amount of parmesan.
