Jamie Oliver's Pappardelle with Beef Ragu
User Reviews
5
22 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
40 mins
-
Cook Time
3 hrs
-
Total Time
3 hrs 40 mins
-
Servings
4 servings
-
Calories
1159 kcal
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
Italian
Jamie Oliver's Pappardelle with Beef Ragu
Report
Jamie Oliver's Pappardelle with Beef Ragu is a hearty dish featuring slow-cooked beef chuck with herbs, vegetables, Chianti wine, plum tomatoes, and pearl barley served with fresh or dried pappardelle pasta. The ragu’s rich meatiness is balanced by aromatic rosemary, thyme, and a medley of sautéed onions, garlic, carrot, and celery. Cooking until tender allows flavors to meld into a thick, satisfying sauce.
Description
This recipe starts by browning beef chuck to develop flavor, then slowly cooking it with herbs, onion, garlic, carrot, celery, Chianti wine, plum tomatoes, and pearl barley. The pearl barley adds body and subtle texture to the sauce, which is simmered until the meat becomes tender and the liquid reduces to a rich consistency. The sauce is finished with Parmesan cheese and butter, contributing creaminess and depth.
The thick, savory ragu coats wide pappardelle noodles, making for a comforting, full-flavored dish. Using fresh or dried pappardelle provides a broad surface to hold the sauce well. This meal is suitable for a substantial dinner and showcases the combination of tender slow-cooked meat with fresh pasta.
Alternatively, the ragu can be prepared in a slow cooker without browning the meat, cooking on low for about eight hours. Adjust liquid reduction by simmering uncovered if needed. Fresh herbs can be substituted with dried or added later to suit taste.
Share:
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds beef chuck or venison, boar, squab, or rabbit, or rump
- extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 handful rosemary stems discarded and leaves finely chopped
- 1 handful thyme stems discarded and leaves finely chopped
- 1 small red onion peeled and finely chopped
- 4 garlic peeled and finely chopped, cloves
- 1 carrot peeled and finely chopped
- 1 celery finely chopped, stick
- 2 wineglasses Chianti wine
- Two (14-ounce) cans plum tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons pearl barley
- salt freshly ground
- black pepper freshly ground
- 14 ounces pappardelle fresh or dried
- 3 tablespoons butter if using venison, boar, squab, or rabbit use 5 tablespoons of butter, unsalted
- 2 handfuls Parmesan Cheese plus more for garnish, grated
Instructions
- To make the pappardelle in your slow cooker, see the Slow Cooker Variation below. To make the pappardelle on your stovetop, season the meat with salt and pepper. (It can be cut into large 2-inch chunks if it's beef, venison, or wild boar; left whole if it's squab; or cut into 5 or 6 pieces if it's rabbit.)
- Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add a little olive oil and the meat, being careful not to crowd the pot, and cook until golden brown on all sides. It may be necessary to work in batches; if so, return all the meat to the pot after it's browned.
- Add your herbs, onions, garlic, carrot, and celery to the meat in the pot, reduce the heat, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes.
- Pour in the wine and simmer just until the liquid has almost completely cooked away but has left you with a fantastic color and fragrance. Add the plum tomatoes, the pearl barley, and just enough water to cover the meat by about 1/2 inch.
- Gently place the parchment circle directly on the surface of the liquid. Put a lid on the pot as well to retain as much moisture as possible while cooking.
- Reduce the heat to low and gentle simmer for 2 to 3 hours. The exact timing will depend on the tenderness and type of meat. You'll know that the meat is ready when you can literally tug on it with a fork and it easily pulls apart in strands.
- Season the beef ragu with salt and pepper to taste and let it cool slightly before removing the meat from the pan. Using 2 forks, pull apart all the chunks of meat, throwing away any gristle or bits of undissolved fat. Skim any fat from the surface of the braising liquid. Return the shredded meat to the pot and place over low heat.
- Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil and cook your pappardelle for 3 minutes if using fresh pasta or according to the package instructions if using dried. Once it's cooked, drain it in a colander, saving some of the cooking water.
- Remove the meat sauce from the heat and stir in the butter and Parmesan along with a little of the reserved pasta cooking water—this will make it juicy and shiny.
- Toss the beef ragu with your drained pasta and, if desired, serve sprinkled with a little finely chopped fresh rosemary and some more grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.
Notes
- The sauce can be prepared entirely in a slow cooker without browning the meat or vegetables first, cooking on low for about eight hours.
- If the ragu is too liquidy after slow cooking, remove meat and simmer the sauce on high to reduce to desired consistency.
- Use fresh herbs for more aroma or dried herbs added later when slow cooking for convenience and flavor control.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1serving
Calories
1159kcal
(58%)
Carbohydrates
93g
(31%)
Protein
59g
(118%)
Fat
55g
(85%)
Saturated Fat
26g
(130%)
Monounsaturated Fat
21g
(105%)
Trans Fat
2g
(100%)
Cholesterol
284mg
(95%)
Sodium
436mg
(18%)
Fiber
8g
(32%)
Sugar
9g
(18%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1159 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 1159kcal | 58% |
| Carbohydrates | 93g | 31% |
| Protein | 59g | 118% |
| Fat | 55g | 85% |
| Saturated Fat | 26g | 130% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 21g | 105% |
| Trans Fat | 2g | 100% |
| Cholesterol | 284mg | 95% |
| Sodium | 436mg | 18% |
| Fiber | 8g | 32% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
22 reviews
Excellent
Other Recipes
You'll Also Love
