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Nona's Ragu

Marie Cook
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1-1 1/2 lbs Stew Beef
  • 1 cup Chopped Onion
  • 1/2 cup Chopped Carrot
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Minced Garlic 1t garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 1/2 tsp Dried Rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 1 cup Red Wine
  • 1 14 1/2 oz can Beef Broth
  • 1/2 pint Grape Tomatoes Quartered about 12-14

Instructions
 

  • In a large dutch oven brown your stew beef in a little bit of olive oil. You will need to do this in a couple of batches so that it browns well. Remove from the pot and set aside.
    Add onion and carrot to the pot with a pinch of salt and saute until soft, about 8-10 minutes.  Add the garlic and and stir to combine, cooking for a minute or two. (don't let it burn.)
    Add the beef broth, and stir to get all of the brown bits off the bottom of the pan, then add the wine, tomato paste, spices and add the meat back to the pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a slow simmer.
    You want to see some bubbles but it shouldn't be a rolling boil. Cover and simmer for 2 1/2 -3 hours. As it cooks and the meat becomes tender the sauce will thicken up as it reduces. 20 minutes before serving add the quartered grape tomatoes and stir to combine. Let them simmer with the rest until you're are ready to serve.
    Serve with pappardelle noodles

Notes

You can make this dish with veal instead of beef. If you do use white wine instead of red.
Depending on your dutch oven you may have to add more liquid during the cooking process. Some pots release more moisture than others, so check on this from time to time and add water if it looks like it's getting too dry. It will take every bit of 2 1/2 hours for the meat to become tender, so if you pot looks dry at 1 1/2 hours you need to add at least 1 cup of water.