28ozwhole canned tomatoes, San Marzano recommended
1cupbeef broth
2Tablespoonssalted butter
1/2teaspoondried rosemary
1/2teaspoondried thyme
1/2teaspoondried oregano
1/2teaspoondried basil, or about 6 torn fresh basil leaves
1/4teaspoonsalt
1bay leaf
To finish:
1teaspoonred wine vinegar , or balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper, as needed
To serve:
pappardelle, tagliatelle or fettucine pasta, or polenta
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Torn fresh basil leaves, for garnish
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Instructions
In a large, heavy bottomed pot (such as a Dutch oven), heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Pat the beef cubes dry and season with some salt and freshly ground pepper. Add the meat to the hot pan in small batches. **You don want to crowd the pan, to avoid too much liquid in the pan, which will prevent the beef from browning. And browning = flavour. So do the beef in about 1/2 lb. batches (so 2 batches for the 1X recipe). Once beef is nicely browned, remove to a plate and set aside. Repeat until all the beef is browned.
In the same pot, adding a bit more oil, if necessary, cook the onion and carrots, stirring, until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and garlic and cook for about a minute more. Add tomato paste and stir in, cooking for about 30 seconds. Add the wine and stirring, cook until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes with juices (breaking up the whole tomatoes a bit with a spoon or your hands), beef broth, butter, herbs and salt. Stir until the butter is melted, then add the bay leaf. Return the reserved meat and any juices to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 2 1/2 hours, stirring a couple of times during cooking. **Alternately, rather than simmering on the stove-top for 2 1/2 hours, you can transfer the mixture to a slow cooker, to cook (covered), for 3 1/2 - 4 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low, followed by 30 minutes uncovered to thicken. You could also pop the Dutch oven into at 325F oven for about the same 2 1/2 hours as simmering on the stove-top, stirring a couple of times during the oven cooking, then simmer on the stove-top over medium-low heat uncovered at the end, to thicken.
When the beef is fork-tender, remove and discard the bay leaf, leaving the beef in the pot. Use a potato masher to break up the beef into shreds. Add the vinegar to the pot and increase the heat to medium-low. Simmer the sauce, uncovered, for an additional 30 minutes, or until thickened to your liking.
Taste the ragu and adjust seasoning to your taste, adding salt especially, as needed. The sauce should be smooth and flavourful. If it tastes flat and acidic, it needs salt. Add a bit at a time and stir in, taste and repeat as needed.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain and place pasta into a large bowl. Spoon ragu over pasta, as needed, tossing well to coat the pasta. Allow the pasta to stand several minutes undisturbed in the bowl, to allow the sauce and pasta to "meld together", before serving with Parmesan and some torn basil leaves.
Notes
Be sure to read the Ingredient Notes and other tips above this Recipe Card, for substitution suggestion and more tips for making, storing and serving this beef ragu.