Grandma’s Pashta Ragu (Vinnie Version)

Ingredients

• 1 kg beef chuck (Cut into large chunks; use 1–1.2 kg.)
• 0.5 cup extra-virgin olive oil (For browning and cooking the vegetables; use generously.)
• 3 onions (Finely diced.)
• 2 carrots (Use 2 large or 3 medium carrots; finely diced.)
• 3 celery stalks (Use 3 large or 4 medium stalks; finely diced.)
• salt (Plenty of pinches, plus more for seasoning the pasta water.)
• black pepper (Plenty of pinches, to taste.)
• 250 ml red wine (About one-third of a bottle; vino may be used.)
• 750 ml beef stock (The creator used one stock cube dissolved in water.)
• 2 cans canned tomatoes (Rinse the cans with boiling water and add that water to the pot, as mentioned in the video.)
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 Parmesan rinds (Use 2–3 rinds; frozen rinds are suitable.)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp MSG
• 1 tsp Vegemite
• 0.25 tsp baking soda (The method says baking powder, but the ingredient list specifies baking soda; use baking soda.)
• 1 kg pasta (Pasta of your choice; cook in plenty of salted water.)
• Parmesan cheese (Serve generously over the pasta.)

Steps

1. 1

   Cut the beef chuck into large chunks and season it with salt and pepper. Heat a large, wide, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat and add enough olive oil to coat the surface.

2. 2

   Brown the beef in batches, leaving space between the pieces so they sear rather than steam. Brown the outside well, but do not cook the meat through. Transfer each batch to a bowl as it is finished.

3. 3

   Finely dice the onions, carrots, and celery. Add them to the same pan, leaving the browned bits on the bottom, and season with generous pinches of salt.

4. 4

   Cook the vegetables over low to medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly, until very soft and nearly mushy. Add more olive oil if needed; the onions should cook slowly rather than brown aggressively.

5. 5

   Pour in the red wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dissolve the browned bits and deglaze the pan. Cook until the wine is absorbed and the mixture returns to roughly its previous consistency.

6. 6

   Return the browned beef and its accumulated juices to the pan. Add the canned tomatoes, including boiling water used to rinse the cans if following the video tip.

7. 7

   Add the beef stock, bay leaves, Parmesan rinds, sugar, MSG, Vegemite, and baking soda. Stir carefully to combine. The written ingredient list specifies baking soda, although the method refers to baking powder.

8. 8

   Cover the pan with a lid. Cook either on the stovetop over very low heat or in a 160°C / 320°F oven for 3½–4 hours, until the beef is completely tender and falls apart easily when pressed with a fork.

9. 9

   Near the end of the braise, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the 1 kg of pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente.

10. 10

    Remove the bay leaves and Parmesan rinds. Taste the ragu and adjust the salt and pepper if needed. Pull or break the beef into the sauce, leaving some tender chunks if desired.

11. 11

    Drain the pasta, reserving a little cooking water if needed to loosen the sauce. Serve the ragu over the pasta with lots of additional grated Parmesan and a simple side salad or vegetable.

Notes

The recipe makes a large 6–8 person batch. The transcript also mentions the grandmother traditionally cooking tomato paste in olive oil first, but tomato paste is not included in the posted ingredient list, so it has not been added as a required ingredient. Refrigerate leftover ragu for up to 4 days or freeze it in portions.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Italian-inspired
• pasta
• slow-cooked
• comfort food
• beef
• family-style
• make-ahead