Beef Ragu Sauce
This Beef Ragu Sauce recipe is versatile and inexpensive – you can make this for around $20 and there is enough for 4 people or lots of meals for one.
It’s the one dish that should be in your ‘go-to’ repertoire. Note that you do need to be close to the kitchen to check on the sauce to make sure it does not burn. It’s no hardship just check on it every 20 – 30 mins.
Cook the Ragu low and slow so the meat soaks up the flavours of the herbs, spices and tomato. It’s one of those dishes you can start making mid-afternoon and let the delicious aroma fill up the kitchen.
When it’s ready, either boil up some pasta, bake a jacket potato or have it on toast. Yum!
You don’t need any fancy skills or expensive ingredients to make this dish, just a little time. If you get the chance double the ingredients and make a big batch, divide it into portions and freeze. Then you have something to come home to after a night at the pub rather than a greasy kebab that you are likely to regret later.
This recipe calls for minced beef, you can also use cheaper cuts of meat, diced into cubes of around 1 cm square, if you prefer.
Note : There is a bit of fine chopping required in this recipe, a handheld blender can save you a heap of time. You can get a good one for under $100, consider adding it to your Wish List.
Beef Ragu Sauce
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Measuring Spoons
- Measuring Cup
- Large Heavy Based Pot
- Wooden Spoon
- Garlic Press
Ingredients
- 40 g butter
- a glug of olive oil
- 100 g bacon or pancetta finely chopped
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery finely chopped
- 1 large carrot finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 sprig rosemary finely chopped
- 500 g ground beef
- 500 ml beef stock
- 1 800g canned diced tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp rubbed sage
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 2 tbsp oregano
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- Heat oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium to high heat
- When the butter is bubbling add the onions – cook for 8 mins (don't brown)
- Add carrot, bacon, rosemary – cook for 2 mins
- Add celery and garlic – cook for 2 mins (don't burn the garlic you just want to release the flavour)
- Add mince and brown – 8 mins. Breakdown the lumps with a fork
- Raise heat and add stock
- Bring to boil, simmer until liquid has reduced approx. 20 mins. (The longer the better so the mince soaks up the flavour)
- Add oregano, salt, pepper, sage, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg
- Cook for approx. 20 mins, stir occasionally so the bottom doesn't burn. Add a little water if the pan is catching
- Add tomatoes, tomato puree and bay leaves.
- Bring to the boil then simmer (very slowly) partially covered for about 2 to 4 hours (the longer the better), stirring occasionally to prevent catching.
