Hearty Meat Ragu

More Joy of Cooking!

Makes: 2 1/2 quarts sauce

Pat dry and cut into 1-inch cubes:
      2 lbs boneless stewing beef (chuck, bottom round, etc)
Heat in a large skillet over medium-high heat:
        2 T olive oil
Add the meat in batches, and brown on all sides, being careful not to crowd the pan. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker. Pour off all but 2 T of fat from the pan (or add more if needed). Add:
        1 large onion, finely chopped
        1 large carrot, finely chopped
        1 clelery rib with leaved, chopped
        4 garlic cloves, chopped
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add:
        1 cup dry red wine
Bring to a boil, stirring to release the browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Pour into the slow cooker. Stir in:
        One 28-ounce can tomatoes, crushed with juice
        One 28-ounce can tomatoes, crushed with puree (I used 28-oz can tomato puree
        1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
        1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
        1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Cover and turn the slow cooker to the low setting. Cook without opening the lid, until the meat is very tender, 6 to 7 hours. Season to taste with:
        Salt and black pepper