Ingredients
Scale
- 3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups beef broth
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Pat your beef chuck roast completely dry with paper towels. Season it generously all over with salt and freshly ground black pepper. In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven, heat a 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the beef on all sides until a beautiful, deep brown crust forms, about 3-4 minutes per side. Once browned, transfer the beef to your slow cooker. Reduce the heat to medium and add a little more olive oil to the skillet if needed. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the skillet and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for another 2 minutes until fragrant and the tomato paste has darkened slightly, scraping up any delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Pour in the dry red wine, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan and incorporate all those flavorful bits. Let the wine simmer for 2-3 minutes, allowing most of the alcohol to cook off and the liquid to reduce slightly. This concentrate of flavor is then transferred directly to your slow cooker, joining the seared beef. Now, add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, fresh rosemary sprigs, fresh thyme sprigs, and bay leaves to the slow cooker. Give everything a good stir to combine, ensuring the beef is mostly submerged in the liquid. Place the lid on your slow cooker and set it to cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 4-6 hours, until the beef is incredibly tender and easily shreds with a fork. Once cooked, remove the bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme stems. Use two forks to shred the beef directly in the slow cooker, stirring it back into the rich, luscious sauce until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. The sauce should be thick, rich, and cling beautifully to your spoon.
- While your ragu is simmering to perfection, prepare the vibrant Parmesan Gremolata. In a small bowl, combine the finely chopped fresh parsley, freshly grated lemon zest, minced garlic, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. For an optional, subtle kick, add a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes. Give everything a good stir until well combined.
- Ladle a generous portion of your glorious Slow Cooker Beef Ragu over your favorite pasta – pappardelle, tagliatelle, or even a sturdy rigatoni are fantastic choices, as their broad surfaces or ridges hold the rich sauce beautifully. Alternatively, serve it atop a creamy bed of polenta or even fluffy mashed potatoes for a comforting, hearty meal. Garnish each serving with a generous sprinkle of your freshly prepared Parmesan Gremolata. A little extra Parmesan cheese and a fresh basil leaf wouldn’t hurt either. The aroma alone will be enough to make mouths water and bowls disappear in record time!
Notes
This Slow Cooker Beef Ragu isn’t just a meal; it’s an experience, a symphony of rich, deep flavors, and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness that will have everyone at your table asking for seconds, thirds, and probably the recipe too. Picture succulent pieces of beef, slow-cooked to perfection in a luscious, aromatic tomato sauce, infused with herbs and love. It’s comforting, hearty, and utterly irresistible.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian