Braised Beef Ragu Recipe

Preheat an oven to 350ºF. Use kitchen twine to tie the herbs (minus the bay leaves) into a small bundle.

Render the pancetta. Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the diced pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy and lightly browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked pancetta to a small bowl.

Sear the beef. Pat the beef pieces dry with a paper towel and season liberally all over with salt and pepper. Increase the heat on the dutch oven to medium-high and arrange the beef pieces in a single layer. You may need to do this in batches. Sear the beef for 4-5 minutes per side until it’s deeply browned. Transfer the beef to a plate.

Sauté the veggies. After removing the beef, add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook for 5-6 minutes, until soft, scraping up any browned bits as the vegetables cook. Add the garlic, diced Calabrian chilies, and the tomato paste and stir well. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until darkened in color.

Build the sauce. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring the wine to a gentle simmer and add the crushed tomatoes and broth/stock. Season with salt and pepper. Add the beef and pancetta back to the pot along with any juices. Nestle the bundle of herbs and the bay leaves into the sauce along with the parmesan rind (if using) and cover with a lid.

Braise and shred. Transfer to the oven and braise for 2 ½ -3 hours until the beef is very tender and easily shredded with a fork. Remove from the oven and leave covered for 20 minutes. After the beef has rested, discard the herbs, bay leaves, and parmesan and shred the meat with two forks. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Boil the pasta. While the sauce rests, bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the gnocchi or pasta and cook to al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain.

Toss the pasta in the sauce. Add half of the beef ragu to a skillet with the cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in half the pasta water along with the pasta or gnocchi. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Adjust the consistency, then serve. If the pasta sauce is thick, add a little more pasta water to thin things out as needed. Portion the ragu into bowls and top with fresh basil, parmesan, and a dollop of mascarpone.