Pasta Ragu

Recipe from Caroline Chambers.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. boneless beef chuck, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 medium yellow onion, cut in half and peeled
• 1 fennel bulb, branchy arms (AKA fronds) removed, root end trimmed off, cut in half
• 1 (28-oz.) can whole or diced tomatoes
• 1 (14-oz.) can tomato sauce or puree
• 1 tsp. red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp. kosher salt plus more to taste
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• Sugar, to taste
• 1 lb. rigatoni pasta
• Parmesan cheese
• Basil, chiffonade

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Add Ingredients to Dutch Oven: Cut beef chuck into 4 pieces and add them to a large Dutch oven. Cut yellow onion in half and discard the peel and root end. Trim the root end and branchy arms off of fennel bulb and discard. Cut the fennel bulb in half. Add the onion and fennel to the Dutch oven along with whole or diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and red wine vinegar. Sprinkle 2 tsp. kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper over everything and mix to combine. Cover with a lid, and transfer to the oven and cook for 3 hours.
3. After 3 Hours: Remove Dutch oven from the oven and pull at the beef with a fork — if it shreds easily, it’s ready. If it doesn’t, cook for another 30-60 minutes or until it’s fall-apart tender.
4. Shred Beef: When beef is fall-apart tender, transfer the beef to a plate or bowl and shred and set aside.
5. Blend Sauce: Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce (WITH NO BEEF IN IT!) until smooth. Tilt the pot if needed to ensure that the blades are submerged in liquid at all times. Taste sauce and adjust seasonings and add sugar as needed. Return shredded beef to the the ragu pot. Cover and keep warm.
6. Serve: Serve ragu over pasta and top with Parmesan cheese and basil.

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Pasta Ragu

Recipe by RC

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. boneless beef chuck, cut into 4 pieces

• 1 medium yellow onion, cut in half and peeled

• 1 fennel bulb, branchy arms (AKA fronds) removed, root end trimmed off, cut in half

• 1 (28-oz.) can whole or diced tomatoes

• 1 (14-oz.) can tomato sauce or puree

• 1 tsp. red wine vinegar

• 2 tsp. kosher salt plus more to taste

• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• Sugar, to taste

• 1 lb. rigatoni pasta

• Parmesan cheese

• Basil, chiffonade

Directions

• Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Add Ingredients to Dutch Oven: Cut beef chuck into 4 pieces and add them to a large Dutch oven. Cut yellow onion in half and discard the peel and root end. Trim the root end and branchy arms off of fennel bulb and discard. Cut the fennel bulb in half. Add the onion and fennel to the Dutch oven along with whole or diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and red wine vinegar. Sprinkle 2 tsp. kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper over everything and mix to combine. Cover with a lid, and transfer to the oven and cook for 3 hours.
• After 3 Hours: Remove Dutch oven from the oven and pull at the beef with a fork — if it shreds easily, it’s ready. If it doesn’t, cook for another 30-60 minutes or until it’s fall-apart tender.
• Shred Beef: When beef is fall-apart tender, transfer the beef to a plate or bowl and shred and set aside.
• Blend Sauce: Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce (WITH NO BEEF IN IT!) until smooth. Tilt the pot if needed to ensure that the blades are submerged in liquid at all times. Taste sauce and adjust seasonings and add sugar as needed. Return shredded beef to the the ragu pot. Cover and keep warm.
• Serve: Serve ragu over pasta and top with Parmesan cheese and basil.