Well my Mum bought me a slower cooker - well she actually bought herself a second slow cooker but decided to give it to me! I did discover another slow cooker she had given me, a long time ago, in my cupboard, so now I have two slow cookers!
Thanks to some wonderful links provided by our likers on the Facebook page, I found a few fantastic recipes to try out. One was for Beef Ragu (which by the way, I have never tried before). I have a problem with following recipes. I am not sure why, but I do! I generally read a recipe, get the general gist and then change it slightly or never bother with measurements. I am definitely not a measuring kind of cook. So anyway, here is my version the a Beef Ragu cooked in a slow cooker. It tasted so fantastic and hubby even said I was the best cook in the world! Did I mention, I love my slow cooker?
Beef Ragu (Slower Cooker Style)
Approx. 2kg beef roast (I used blade roast with all fat trimmed off)
6 tablespoons of tomato paste (or a little more if you like)
3 teaspoons of dried Oregano
2 Bay Leaves
Salt and Pepper to taste
Beef Stock (I used 3 cubes)
Red Wine (approx. half a cup)
Water (approx. 2 cups)
Mushrooms
Carrot
1 large Onion
Balsamic Vinegar
In the bottom of your slow cooker, place tomato paste, roughly chopped onion, carrot and mushrooms (amount as desired).
Then add the roast (cut in half). Now pour over wine, water, stock, bay leaves.
Turn cooker on high for approx. 5 hours or until meat can be easily pulled apart with two forks.
Once your meat is tender, take it out of the slow cooker and pull apart with two forks, and then place back into the liquid in the slow cooker. Add approx. 2 tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar or to taste.
I also add a generous amount of Parmesan Cheese at this stage.
Continue to cook, uncovered for approx. 20 minutes.
Serve over pasta with a generous sprinkling of Parmesan!
I think this could be equally enjoyed with rice or a lovely creamy mash.
Enjoy!!
