Rich Slow-Cooked Beef Ragu with Crispy Roasted Mince

Name: Rich Slow-Cooked Beef Ragu with Crispy Roasted Mince
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 130 min
Total time: 175 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 800 g good-quality lean beef mince; 200 g smoked cubed pancetta or bacon lardons; 300 g button mushrooms thickly sliced; 2 onions, finely chopped; 2 carrots, finely chopped; 2 celery sticks, finely chopped; 4 clove garlic finely grated; 2 tbsp olive oil; 200 ml Red wine; 75 ml red wine vinegar; 3 chopped tomatoes; 1 beef stock pot or cube; 2 tbsp Tomato puree; 2 tbsp dried oregano; 1 tbsp golden caster sugar; 4 star anise; 4 whole cloves; 4 bay leaves

A deeply flavorful Italian-style meat sauce featuring oven-roasted crispy beef mince and a savory base of pancetta and aromatic vegetables. This slow-simmered ragu is the ultimate comfort food and tastes even better when made a day in advance.

Servings8 Portions

Prep Time45 Mins

Cook Time130 Mins

Difficulty

Intermediate

Ingredients

good-quality lean beef mince
800 g
smoked cubed pancetta or bacon lardons
200 g
button mushrooms thickly sliced
300 g
onions, finely chopped
2
carrots, finely chopped
2
celery sticks, finely chopped
2
garlic finely grated
4 clove
olive oil
2 tbsp
Red wine
200 ml
red wine vinegar
75 ml
chopped tomatoes
3
beef stock pot or cube
1
Tomato puree
2 tbsp
dried oregano
2 tbsp
golden caster sugar
1 tbsp
star anise
4
whole cloves
4
bay leaves
4

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan/gas 5). Place the beef mince in a shallow roasting tin, breaking it up with a spoon, and roast for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, give it a stir, then nestle in the star anise and cloves. For easier removal later, you can tie the whole spices in a small piece of muslin cloth.

Return the beef to the oven and roast for another 30–40 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan occasionally, until the meat is deep brown and crispy. Once finished, set the tin aside.

While the beef is roasting, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 8–10 minutes until it becomes crispy and browned on all sides.

Stir in the finely chopped onions, carrots, celery, and grated garlic. Sauté for 8–10 minutes until the vegetables have softened and become fragrant.