Slow-Cooked Beef Ragu with Beef Shin

beef shin ragu with tagliatelle in a white bowl.

5 from 3 votes

Slow-Cooked Beef Ragu with Beef Shin

This slow-cooked beef ragu with beef shank (shin) is so rich and so good, served with tagliatelle pasta for a bowl of pure comfort. It requires some time, but the dish itself is minimal effort to put together.

Prep Time30

Cook Time2 30

Total Time3

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Author: Margie Nomura

Ingredients

For the ragu:

1.1 lb beef shank (beef shin)
2 large carrots peeled and diced
1 white onion diced
2 celery stalks diced
4 garlic cloves
1 small bunch of fresh thyme
1 Parmesan rind
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp tomato paste
3.5 fl oz red wine about 1/2 cup; something you would drink but nothing expensive
12 fl oz beef stock 1 1/2 cup
14.5 oz canned chopped tomatoes or passata
1/2 tsp sugar or 1 tsp balsamic glaze

To serve:

14 oz tagliatelle or pappardelle about 7 cups
Parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley or basil to top

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pat the beef dry to help it brown nicely. Season generously with salt and, if possible, leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry brine. If you don’t have time, just move on to searing.
Heat a large Dutch oven (you want an ovenproof dish with a lid and heavy bottom) over high heat. Add a drizzle of oil, then sear the beef until well browned but definitely not cooked, then set aside. You just want some color.
I like to blitz the carrots, celery, garlic, and onions in my food processor for a quick fine dice. But you can also do it by hand. Add the diced vegetables to the same pan in which you seared the beef, with a little salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste and the red wine. Let it cook for a couple of minutes. Heat the oven to 355°F (180°C/160°C fan).
Add the bay leaves, thyme, Parmesan rind, and chopped tomatoes to the pot and the stock. You want enough stock to almost cover the beef – around 1 1/2 cups (350 ml), but could need as much as 2 cups (500 ml), depending on your pan. Bring everything to a gentle simmer, then nestle the beef back into the sauce. Cover with a lid.
Cook low and slow for about 2 1/2 hours in the oven. If you’d rather, you can do it on the stove on a really low simmer for 2 hours, until the meat is falling-apart tender.
Shred up the meat and add it back to the sauce.
At this stage, you can refrigerate the ragu for up to 3 to 4 days and reheat when needed.
Then boil the pasta in well-salted boiling water and then drain. Add the pasta to the pan of ragu. Add a few spoons of pasta water and toss together. Top with Parmesan and fresh parsley or basil.

Video

Notes

Make-ahead and storage

Make Ahead: I find the flavor often improves after a night or two in the fridge. Cook the ragu fully, let it cool, then refrigerate overnight. Skim any solidified fat from the surface before reheating.

To Store: Keep leftover ragu in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

To Reheat: Gently reheat the ragu either on the stove over low heat or in the microwave (covered) until warmed through. Add a splash of stock or water if the sauce has thickened too much.

To Freeze: Once cooled completely, portion into airtight containers with some of the sauce. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating gently.

Quick tip

Parmesan rind - If you don’t have one spare or in the freezer, just cut the rind off the one you have open in the fridge. You can still grate the rest, but the rind is just used here!

Nutrition