Beef Short Rib Ragu

This recipe requires a lot of sliced onions! However, it’s not overwhelmingly onion in flavour and delivers a lovely, rich and sweet ragu.

Ingredients (serves 4)

500g Beef short rib or Hanger steak

1kg onions, thinly sliced

2 Medium Carrot, diced

2 Celery sticks, diced

3 bay leaves

100g tomato puree

200g Smoked streaky bacon, chopped into lardons

150ml of white wine

150ml of beef stock (any stock will work)

400g pasta

150g parmesan, grated

10g parsley, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking instructions

1. In a heavy bottomed pan on a high heat, sear off the beef with a splash of olive oil until caramelised and slightly charred. Remove the beef and add the chopped smoked streaky bacon.
2. Reduce to a medium heat and cook for 5 mins.
3. Add the diced carrots, celery and half the onions. Sauté until caramelised, around 5 mins.
4. Add the tomato paste, remaining onions, bay leaves, stir and sauté for a further 5 mins.
5. Make a small well within the mixture and add the steak. Cover with onions and pour over the white wine and stock. Leave to simmer on a low heat for 3-4 hours. After 4 hours the onions will be super soft and the beef will be falling apart.
6. Remove the beef and continue to reduce the sauce on a medium heat. Meanwhile chop/shred the beef and add it back into the mixture. Mix well.
7. In a separate pan, boil some salted water and cook the pasta. Once al dente, add to the ragu along with a few spoonful’s of pasta water and half the grated parmesan. Meld together before plating up.
8. Plate up and top with remaining parmesan and chopped parsley.

Enjoy!