A budget cut of beef, simple pantry ingredients, a bit of patience and pappardelle pasta. This Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce with Pappardelle may be the king of all pastas. It is hands down one of my all time favourite pastas ever!
Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce
There’s this annoying thing that’s been a thorn in my backside all my working life. This thing called pride.
I’m not a professional food photographer, or food stylist, videographer or a chef for that matter. But that doesn’t matter. What does matter is being proud of everything that I have on my website, knowing that even if there are people out there who can take better photos and make better videos, that I’ve done the best I can do and I’m proud of what I’m sharing.
3 years into blogging with over 500 recipes, I still get butterflies when I hit Publish on a new or updated recipe.
And having rewritten, rephotographed and made a video for this Shredded Beef Ragu which I first shared over 2 years ago, yes I’m going to have butterflies when I hit Publish on this (again!) because it’s one of my all time personal favourites. 🙂
I have a weakness for all things slow cooked, but hands down this shredded beef ragu is one of my all time favourites. I’d dare say I love it even more than traditional Ragu Alla Bolognese. It’s the shredded beef that seals the deal for me. The way it soaks up the sauce and clings to the pasta. It’s an absolute ripper!
I’m pretty sure I first learned how to make Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce with Pappardelle from Lidia Bastianich. Years ago, her show “Lidia’s Italy” was one of the few cooking shows on free-to-air TV and I used to watch them over and over again. Almost everything I know about Italian cooking (including the reason why I was hunting down Kale a decade before it became “cool”) is because of Lidia Bastianich. Old school, real deal Italian. 🙂
Best Pasta to serve with Ragu
The question of what type of pasta to serve with different pasta sauces is a question that I get asked quite regularly. Generally, most pasta sauces will pair perfectly well with most common pasta types, like spaghetti, fettuccine, linguine, penne / ziti, macaroni, shells etc.
And while this Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce will be great with any type of pasta, the best pasta for a rich sauce like this ragu is pappardelle. This wide, flat pasta is especially great for this recipe because the shredded beef clings to the wide strands.
For pappardelle, I am quite particular about which brand I use because I’ve had problems in the past with uneven cooking. I use San Remo which is a well known trusted brand here in Australia. The pappardelle is bundled into nests so they are fully submerged when dropped into boiling water, and the nests are loose enough so the bubbling water separates the strands and the pappardelle cooks evenly.
You’ll find San Remo pappardelle at all the major supermarkets as well as fresh produce stores and delis. And here’s a photo for size context – giant pasta in my Baby Hands…..
Oh – and the other reason San Remo Pappardelle is my pasta of choice for ragu is because it’s an egg pasta. The addition of egg makes the pappardelle stronger so it doesn’t break when tossed in the thick, rich sauce.
If you’ve just invested hours of patience, slow cooking the sauce to tender perfection, you’ll make me cry if you just dump cooked pasta in a bowl and spoon over the sauce. And the entire nation of Italy will cry with me. 😉 Please promise me you will toss the ragu with the pasta before serving! It is worth it, I promise. Look how every strand of the pappardelle is beautifully coated in that luscious ragu!! – Nagi xx
Watch How To Make It
Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce with Pappardelle recipe video!
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Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Pasta
Ingredients
Ragu
- 1.2kg / 2.5 lb chuck beef or other slow cooking beef cut, cut into equal 4 pieces (Note 1)
- 1 tbsp salt
- Black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil , separated
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 onion , diced
- 1 cup carrots , diced (Note 2)
- 1 cup celery , diced (Note 2)
- 800g / 28oz crushed canned tomatoes
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 beef bouillon cubes , crumbled (Note 3)
- 1 cup / 250ml red wine , full bodied (like merlot, cabernet sauvignon), or sub with beef broth/stock
- 1 1/2 cups / 375 ml water (Note 3)
- 3/4 tsp dried thyme or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 dried bay leaves
To Serve (Not all Sauce is used)
- 1 lb /500g dried pappardelle , or other pasta of choice (Note 4)
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese or parmigiano reggiano
- Fresh parsley , finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Pat beef dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper
- Sear Beef: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over high heat in a heavy based pot. Add beef and sear each piece aggressively on all sides until very browned (3 – 5 minutes in total), then remove onto a plate.
- Turn stove down to medium low and add remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil.
- Soffrito: Add garlic and onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the carrots and celery and sauté slowly for 5 minutes.
- Add remaining Ragu ingredients and return the beef to the pot (including pooled juices). Turn the stove up and bring it to a simmer, then turn it down to low so it’s bubbling very very gently. (Note 7)
- Slow cook: Cover the pot and let it cook for 2 hours or until beef is tender enough to shred. (Note 5 for slow cooker and pressure cooker).
- Shred: Remove beef then coarsely shred with 2 forks. Return beef to the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes until sauce is reduced and thickened – beef will soften slightly more during this step.
- Final season: Do a taste test and adjust the seasoning to your taste with salt and pepper. ALSO, add 1/2 tsp sugar if sauce is a bit sour for your taste (Note 6). Place the lid on and set aside until ready to serve (it’s even better the next day and freezes well for months!).
To Serve (Note 4):
- Bring a very large pot of water with 1 tbsp of salt to the boil.
- Add pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the recommended cooking time as per the packet instructions.
- Meanwhile, place 5 cups of the Ragu in a very large fry pan, dutch oven or use 2 normal size fry pans. Heat over high heat while the pasta is cooking.
- When the pasta is ready, transfer it directly from the pot into the fry pan using tongs.
- Add 3/4 cup of pasta water into the fry pan.
- Gently toss the pasta (I use 2 wooden spoons) for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce water evaporates and leaves you with a thick Ragu sauce that coats the pasta.
- Yell for your family to sit down at the dinner table because you need to serve it immediately!
- Serve with plenty of freshly grated parmesan, or even better, with parmigiano reggiano.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Today’s recipe is brought to you with thanks to San Remo. When they asked if I would consider showcasing one of their products in a recipe, it seemed meant-to-be because I wanted to republish this Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu and in fact, I had made the video using San Remo pappardelle pasta before they approached me! I figured it was a sign. ❤️ San Remo is Australia’s most well known pasta brand and is available at supermarkets all around Australia, including the pappardelle I recommend using for this recipe.
Life Of Dozer
Pappardelle pup. (Try saying that 10 times real fast after a few glasses of wine.)
This has become a household favourite that I make quite often. Our local butcher sells beef short ribs (marinated with a smoky BBQ rub) that I use and I cook in the slow cooker. The end flavour is absolutely delicious! Your recipes are the bomb! Thank you.
Can I use beef tri tip fortnightly recipe?
Yes definitely Coral! I hope you love it! N x
This looks absolutely delish and I want to try it! I just have a question on the chuck beef. My online grocer sells “beef chuck tender” – is that the same thing? Or what are other appropriate cuts to use for this recipe please?
Oh no, I added the liquid beef stock in place of water to the slow cooker! Will it still be ok?
Hi Kelly, you may just need to reduce the liquid after its cooked – it will be great! N x
I did the same and turned out great!
Hi Nagi,
I just want to thank you for this delicious recipe – definitely one to keep! I made it early this morning and waited (with great difficulty!) until tonight to eat it. Wow! SO yum – even my picky toddlers ate it without a fuss!
Thank you!
Hi Nagi!
I want to make this tomorrow, but I was thinking of doing a pork/beef mix (half half) Do you think this would work? I’ll stick to just beef if you think not 🙂
Hi Rebecca, I tend to stick to one protein when shredding like this – love to know what you decide though! N x
Loved this recipe and so easy
Hi Nagi
I intend serving the ragu tomorrow. However there is lots of celery and carrot cubes in the liquid. Not like the picture in your recipe. What will I do. Perhaps remove the meat and cook it longer?
Await your advise,
Ann
Hi Ann, the pictures show the carrot and celery in the sauce, if you prefer, you can always remove the meat, bend the sauce and then add the meat back in. N x
Absolutely love this recipe
Hi Nagi! If I am planning to use the slow cooker, after adding the wine, your note says not to add the water. However I was planning on using liquid beef stock instead of the bouillon cubes. Does this mean I need to omit the liquid stock and use cubes instead then transfer to slow cooker? Thanks!
Wonderful! It worked so well. I bought freshly made pasta which made it extra tasty. Great recipe
What size pot is needed to make sure it all fits?
Hi Allie, you’ll need at least a 5L pot to fit this all in 🙂 N x
Well, I’m disappointed. I made this recipe hoping for leftovers. Unfortunately it was such a hit that my family couldn’t stop eating it! Thank you for the fabulous idea. I’m going to make it again soon when nobody is here and stick it in the freezer!!
Hi Nagi,
I’ve used your recipes for years. I am not the best cook and I would rather be doing something else, but I just wanted to let you know how great your recipes are and how proud you should be (if not already). Thanks heaps and keep them coming. You’re the best.
Cheers
Hello from New Zealand 🙂
Wow this beef ragu is absolutely beautiful.
I live on my own and freeze meals for future use. The flavour in this just keeps on giving.
Thanks so much, I am grateful to you for sharing your amazing talents..
Would this work with Lamb shoulder?
Yes definitely Nikita, depending on whether it’s deboned and the size – you’d just need to adjust the cook time. N x
I’m confused. I added two beef cubes and beef stock. Is the water in addition to the stock and beef cubes ?
Hi Jordan, just to confirm, you added the beef stock in place of the wine? And yes the water is added onto of this. N x
No. I actually used only 2lbs of chuck roast and cut it as you suggested into baseball sized chunks ( I coached my 2 son’s Little League teams for several years) My comment wasn’t very long. Saw many others of the same length.
I’ve been cooking for a long time and I’m very good at following recipes. I also noticed some other comments that addressed the cooking time for the meat. Maybe you cooked it at medium temperature and that’s why yours was done so fast.
Best Regards
Fab recipe turned out lovely – I made mine the night before and left it for 8 hours in the slow cooker on low. Reheated it to serve the next day. Will make again.
Becky did you add beef bouillon cubes and no water as per her recipe notes? I have liquid beef stock and I have the wine, but because her note said to not add the extra water I wasn’t sure if I needed to go buy some of the bouillon cubes. Thanks!
Wonderful recipe. BUT it takes much longer than 2 hours for the beef to become tender enough to to shred. I cooked mine in a dutch oven on the stove. It took about 3 1/2 hours. I left the cover off for the last hour in order to thicken the sauce.
Hi Steven, sorry yours took longer than the recipe, were your pieces of meat quite large as that will definitely add to the cook time. N x