Slow-cooked beef ragout

Not to be confused with the Italian ragu, which is a meat-based pasta sauce, this hearty, slow-cooked French-style stew is great for freezer-friendly batch cooking

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 140°C/gas 3. Season the beef. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to a large frying pan; brown the beef in batches over a medium-high heat. Using a draining spoon, transfer to a large casserole with a lid, leaving any oil in the pan. Continue to brown the remaining beef, adding a splash of oil to the pan between each batch, and transferring the beef to the casserole when done.
2. Add the pancetta to the frying pan and fry until the fat has rendered out, then add to the beef using a draining spoon. Add the onions, carrots and celery to the oil in the frying pan, stir, and cook over a low heat for
   10-15 minutes until softened.
3. Increase the heat, add the garlic; cook for
   2 minutes, then add the tomato puree and bay leaves and cook for
   1 minute more. Add the wine; bubble to reduce by half.
4. Tip the vegetables into the casserole and add the tomatoes, stock and 150 ml water. Season, stir, and bring to a simmer then cover with a lid; transfer to the middle of the oven. Cook for 3 to
   3½ hours, or until the meat is tender and the sauce slightly reduced.
5. Break up the meat with a couple of forks and stir into the sauce. Portion up as required.

Nutrition