====== Beef Ragu ======

This Beef Ragu goes well with Pappardelle or Tagliatelle, it is a robust sauce that pairs best with a thicker pasta. It also makes a really good, if not traditional Lasagna. The standard recipe is designed for making in a saucepan on a stove top. It can be moved to a slow cooker or pressure cooker once all the ingredients have been combined if you are trying to speed it up or want to leave it unattended. If you are using a slow cooker or pressure cooker the consistency of the sauce will not be right, it can be fixed by quickly reducing the sauce in a saucepan while shredding the beef. 

===== Ingredients =====
  * 500g Stewing Beef
  * 2-3 Sticks of Celery
  * 2-3 Carrot
  * 1 Large Onion
  * 700g Passata or 800g Tinned Tomatoes 
  * 4 – 6 Cloves of Garlic (Minced)
  * ½ Cup Red Wine
  * 2 Bay Leaves
  * Salt and Pepper to taste
  * Oil (Refined Olive or Safflower)

===== Additional Equipment Needed =====
  * Slow Cooker (Optional)
  * Pressure Cooker (Optional)

===== Method =====

==== Mise en place ====
  - Dice Onion, Carrot and Celery.
  - Cut Beef into 2cm cubes.
  - Mince Garlic.

==== Sear Beef ====
  - Using a large Saucepan, heat oil on medium high.
  - Sear Beef in batches, transferring to bowl for later.

==== Cook Mire Poix ====
  - Reduce heat to medium.
  - Cook Onions for 10 minutes or until softened and translucent.
  - Add Celery and Carrot and continue cooking for another 10 minutes or until carrot has softened. 

==== Combine Ingredients ====
  - Add Beef and resting juices back to pan.
  - Deglaze with Red Wine and scrap fond from bottom of pan.
  - Add Passata/Tinned Tomatoes and Bay Leaves. 
  - Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3-4 hours((Once everything is combined it can be transferred to a pressure cooker or slow cooker.)) or until Beef is tender enough to shred.

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