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Slow-Cooked Beef Ragu {paleo, whole30, gluten-free, dairy-free}

This Ragu is hearty + satisfying no matter the season! This recipe makes a lot...plenty for the whole fam or the freezer! 
Update: Full Disclosure-This recipe wasn't as flavorful as I would have liked it be...next time I would add diced fire roasted tomatoes instead of the sauce. And to be totally honest my traditionalist husband much prefers ground beef. So please use this recipe as a base and make it your own! Would love to know what you did! 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: dairy-free, gluten-free, Italian, paleo, whole30
Keyword: beef ragu, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Paleo, pasta, Whole30
Author: Alicia Raymond

Ingredients

  • good splash extra virgin olive oil
  • 2-3 lb beef roast (I used rump roast)
  • salt + pepper
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 3 small shallots (about 1/8 cup)
  • 4 small-medium garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp organic tomato paste
  • 1 cup good quality red wine
  • 2 17.63 oz boxes organic tomato sauce (16 oz cans work as well)*
  • 28 oz can organic crushed tomatoes in sauce with basil
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 good handful fresh thyme (tie w/ butchers twine w/ rosemary to make life easier)
  • chopped chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • Heat up dutch oven to high heat. Salt + pepper beef roast (liberally) on both side. Add EVOO  to pan and sear for 3-4 until beautifully browned. Flip roast over and sear on other side for 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside on a plate for later. 
  • Next, sear your ground beef on medium to medium-high until browned, scraping up bits on the bottom of the pan as you go (flavor!!). Once browned, removed to a paper towel lined plate. 
  • Over medium heat cook garlic and shallot for a couple of minutes, making sure to scrape up any bits as you go. Next, add in tomato paste and cook for another minute. Then add in red wine and turn up heat to simmer for a couple of minutes. 
  • Add your tomato sauce (I rinsed out my and crushed tomatoes with a bit of water), and the 1 cup water. beef roast, along with the juices, rosemary and thyme. 
  • Bring sauce to a low boil, then turn heat down to low. Cook on low for about 4 hours (may be less but this is how long it took for me), stirring occasionally to make sure sauce isn't sticking to the bottom, until you can tear beef roast apart with a fork. 
  • Remove the roast from the post and shred with two forks, then return the shredded beef back to the pot. 
  • Bring sauce up to a low boil and cook for about 30 minutes until sauce is nice and thick, stirring often to make sure sauce doesn't stick to the bottom. 
  • Taste, carefully:), and add salt + pepper as desired. 
  • Serve with your favorite pasta (best to toss pasta with Ragu)! And the rest of that bottle of nice wine of course;). Sprinkle with a little chopped parsley! 
    Enjoy!  

Notes

*Watch out for added sugars to tomato sauce and/or other tomato products. 
Recipe adapted from Recipetineats