This slow cooker Beef Ragu is our go-to Winter recipe that takes little to no time to make and is also kind to the budget this time of the year, using a heap of ingredients you’ll already have in the pantry.

The best part is, once you put it on, you can let it bubble away until dinner time. It’s a flavour-filled Winter dish that my whole family loves this time of year, and is super easy (my favourite).

Plus, with room in the budget for a bottle of Mataro Durif, it makes a heart-warming duo that is a match made in heaven. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1kg beef chuck steak, cut into 4cm pieces
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 x 400g cans cherry tomatoes in juice
• 1 cup Massel beef stock
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• Cooked curly fettuccine, to serve
• Grated parmesan, to serve
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped, to serve
• Salt, to season

Method

1. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Cook beef, in two batches, for 5 minutes or until browned. Transfer to the bowl of a 5.5-litre slow cooker.
2. Add remaining oil to pan. Add onion, celery and carrot. Cook for 3 minutes or until just tender.
3. Add wine, tomatoes with liquid from cans, stock, paste and thyme to pan. Bring to the boil. Carefully pour over beef. Stir to combine. Cover with lid.
4. Cook on low for 6 hours (or on high for 4 hours) or until beef is very tender. Stir with a wooden spoon to roughly shred beef. Toss ragu through fettuccine. Season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with parmesan, parsley and a glass of our Mataro Durif. Delicious!

Recipe Notes

You could also use beef blade, oyster, skirt or topside for this recipe. These cuts of meat become lovely and tender when slow cooked.