Polenta Topping: Slow-Cooker Braised Beef Ragu

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 lbs beef rump roast or round roast

1 small onion, minced

5 cloves of garlic, minced

2 28-ounce cans San Marzano whole tomatoes (see note)

½ cup red wine

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons salt

Black pepper to taste

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the beef in one whole piece and fry on each side, turning until the whole exterior is golden brown. About five minutes.

Put all of the remaining ingredients into the slow cooker and mix. Nestle the beef in amongst the mix. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. The ragu is ready when the beef falls apart easily when pulled at with two forks. Shred the beef into pieces and give it a good stir. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper, if needed.

Top polenta with ragu and enjoy!

Notes

Depending on your desired meat-to-tomato ratio for the sauce, you can leave both cans of tomatoes undrained or, for a slightly less tomato-y ragu, drain one of the cans, adding just the fruits.

This recipe makes lots of delicious sauce, meaning that you can feed a real crowd with your ragu-topped polenta. But if you’ve got a smaller table, simply freeze the extra for a quick pasta night.

From Lindsay Ostrom, Pinch of Yum