Italian Beef Ragu

This beef ragu sauce was the hit of the neighbours dinner- pasta bar.  Served with rigatoni pasta and topped with roasted young carrots, it was a dish worth making again and again! 

To serve 6 - 8

INGREDIENTS:

 2 - 3 lbs                bone-in beef shanks or meaty oxtails or bone-in short ribs (I prefer the bone in             beef, but you could also use about 2 pounds (910 g) boneless beef stew meat, cut into 2-inch cubes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
60 ml                     olive oil
3 stalks                  celery, chopped

1                            yellow onion, chopped

1                            carrot, chopped
1 small head          garlic, unpeeled, halved crosswise

1 tablespoon          tomato paste
1 bottle                  dry red wine
1 bunch                 thyme
1 bunch                 flat-leaf parsley
1 sprig                   rosemary
2 dried                   bay leaves
1 tablespoon         black peppercorns
237 ml ‎                  demi-glace or stock (beef or chicken)
60 ml                     olive oil
12                         young carrots, lightly roasted halved lengthwise
1 cup                     mixed minced thyme, rosemary, and flat-leaf parsley leaves
 237 ml                  dry red wine

1lb                         package of rigatoni (or even fettucine or other pasta) cooked and drained (save the pasta water to thin the sauce, if needed)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).

Season the meat with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat and sear, turning once, until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the meat to a plate.

Add the celery, onion, carrot, and garlic to the oil and beef drippings in the Dutch oven and sauté until the vegetables are softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. 

Add the wine, stir to scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan, and cook until the wine is nearly evaporated, about 10 minutes.

Add the meat, thyme, parsley, rosemary, bay leaves, peppercorns, stock (or demi-glace) and enough water to almost cover the meat. Cover, place in the oven, and braise for 1 1/2 hours.
Uncover the pot, rotate it 180°, and continue to braise until the meat is fork-tender and nearly falls off the bone, about 1 hour more.

Using tongs, transfer the meat from the pot to a cutting board and set aside until cool enough to handle. Return the pot to the stovetop and simmer over medium heat until the liquid is reduced by half. 

Meanwhile, pull all of the meat from the bones and shred it. Discard the bones and any gristle. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids.

Warm a large skillet over high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the carrots and sauté until slightly charred, about 3 minutes. Add the reserved meat, chopped fresh herbs, and wine and cook until the wine has nearly evaporated. Add the reduced braising liquid and simmer until the mixture has a nice sauce-like consistency. 

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the pasta to the sauce. Cook, gently stirring, until the pasta is al dente and well coated with the sauce, about 3 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add a little pasta cooking water to thin it.

Serve topped with grated parmigiana.