Slow Cooker Beef Ragu (Printable View)
Hearty beef slowly simmered with tomatoes, herbs, and wine for a comforting Italian-style dish.
# Ingredient List:
→ Beef
01 - 3.3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
02 - 2 medium onions, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
→ Liquids
06 - 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
07 - ½ cup dry red wine
08 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
09 - 1 cup beef broth
→ Herbs & Seasonings
10 - 2 teaspoons dried oregano
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 2 dried bay leaves
13 - 1 teaspoon salt
14 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
15 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
→ To Serve
16 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped
17 - Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
18 - Cooked pasta or creamy polenta
# How to Prepare:
01 - Season beef chunks evenly with salt and black pepper.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the beef chunks on all sides until browned, about 5 minutes total, to develop flavor.
03 - Place chopped onions, minced garlic, diced carrots, and celery into the bottom of the slow cooker.
04 - Arrange the seared beef chunks atop the vegetable mixture in the slow cooker.
05 - Pour crushed tomatoes, red wine, tomato paste, and beef broth over the beef. Sprinkle in oregano, thyme, bay leaves, remaining salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if desired.
06 - Gently stir the ingredients to combine without shredding the beef.
07 - Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours or on high heat for 5 hours until the beef is very tender and shreds easily.
08 - Discard the bay leaves. Use two forks to shred the beef directly in the slow cooker and mix well to incorporate with the sauce.
09 - Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
10 - Serve hot over cooked pasta or creamy polenta, garnished with chopped fresh basil or parsley and grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- Minimal hands-on time means you can forget about it until dinner, then come home to something extraordinary.
- The slow cook breaks down the beef until it practically melts, creating sauce that clings to pasta like a warm hug.
- One pot, endless possibilities—leftover ragu becomes sandwiches, pizza topping, or midnight cravings solved.
02 -
- Never shred the beef before the eight hours are up—it needs that time to fully surrender and absorb the flavors.
- The vegetables will almost completely disappear into the sauce, and that's exactly what you want; they're building blocks, not ingredients meant to be identifiable.
- Red wine is worth using here because it adds complexity that chicken broth never could, but if you don't have any, use more beef broth instead.
03 -
- If your sauce seems too thin after cooking, let it simmer uncovered on the stovetop for fifteen minutes to reduce and concentrate the flavors further.
- Taste and adjust seasoning just before serving—slow cooking can mellow spices, so what felt right at the start might need a gentle boost at the end.