My goal for the year was to slow down. Needless to say, as July 1 approaches, my previous self gave me a smack for failing at New Years Resolution number one. Of course I then did what I know best and reached for the slow cooker in an attempt to quickly implement the slow life. Hannah Gadsby would be proud of this contradiction. She would also (I’m pretty sure) be proud of this recipe which I have to say, is a major win.
Slow Cooker Pulled Beef Ragu with Pappardelle
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 4 large shallots
- 2 stalks of celery
- Handful of baby carrots
- 4 field mushrooms
- 3 rashes of bacon
- 1.5kg beef brisket – see notes
- 2tbs tomato paste
- 1 cup passata
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 cup red wine
- Handful of fresh thyme & oregano – on the stalk is fine
- Salt, pepper & pinch of sugar
- 1/2 cup of parmesan
- 500g packet fresh pappardelle
Method
Start by dicing your onion, garlic, carrots, celery and mushrooms very finely then pop in your slow cooker (don’t turn on at this stage). Stir the tomato paste, passata, stock and wine through the veg mix.
On the same cutting board, cut up the bacon into little squares. Heat up a non stick fry pan and fry off your bacon over a high heat until golden then chuck in the slow cooker with the veg.
In the same pan, keeping the heat super high, brown your brisket on each side. Do this in stages if you need to. Put each slab into the slow cooker, stirring around the sauce & veg. Season generously with salt, pepper and the pinch of sugar. Tuck the herbs into the mix then turn on and cook it on low for 7-8 hours, turning the meat every hour or so.
Remove the meat from the mix and place in a bowl. Using a large spoon skim the layer of fat in the slow cooker into another bowl then disregard (also throw away the stalks of herbs). Take your time doing this as an oily outcome will really impact the pasta. Now back to the meat – using two forks, pull/shred the meat disregarding any fatty bits you’re not into as well as the layer of muscle in the middle. Stir the pulled meat back through the ragu along with the parmesan. Season generously with salt then leave to rest/thicken while you cook your pasta.
Once the pappardelle is just about cooked, drain then stir through the pulled meat followed by another sprinkle of parmesan.
Kitchen notes...
My brisket was in one large slab so I cut it into equal four’s. If you can’t find brisket, beef ribs are a great alternative. Chuck steak will also work but perhaps cook for less time and try to get it in as bigger chunks as possible.