Five ingredient slow-cooked beef ragu

Let the slow cooker do all the work with Vanessa Low's simple, five-ingredient beef ragu. With a base of crushed tomatoes, onion and garlic, time is your secret ingredient to unlocking the savoury, unctuous flavours of your beef. Make it a meal by serving alongside roasted garlic vegetables.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  8 hours

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 kg beef chuck or brisket
• 400 g can crushed tomatoes
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Salt and black pepper

For the roasted vegetables

• 1 large zucchini, cut into half-moons
• 1 yellow capsicum, thinly sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2–3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat a large frying pan over high heat. Add the oil, then sear the beef, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides.
2. Combine the crushed tomatoes, onion and garlic in a slow cooker. Once the beef is seared, add to the slow cooker and season generously with salt and black pepper.
3. Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours, or until the beef is tender and easily shredded with a fork.
4. Thirty minutes before the cooking time completes, preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). In a large baking tray lined with baking paper, place the zucchini, capsicum and cherry tomatoes. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil, then toss with the garlic and a generous pinch of salt and black pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.
5. Meanwhile, remove the beef from the braising liquid and shred with a fork. Return the meat to the liquid and stir to combine.
6. Serve the slow-cooked beef ragu with the roasted vegetables.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.