Chianti Beef Ragù

Ragoût, Ragù, Ragú…turns out your favorite childhood jar of “spaghetti sauce” has a long and storied history with roots all the way back to Napoleon.

In France, ragoûts have been served for centuries. Typically, a rich and flavorful meat stew, the word comes from the verb ragoûter, meaning “to revive the taste.” The first mention of ragù in Italy is commonly believed to be in the late 18th century in Emilia-Romagna. The term generally applies to sauces where meat is slowly cooked in tomatoes and used to dress pasta. Bolognese, for example, is undoubtedly the country’s most famous ragù. It seems undeniable that the notion of fortifying sauces with meat originated with the French, as Napoleon’s 1796 invasion of Northern Italy coincides so closely with their appearance in Italian food literature. As word of ragù spread through the boot, each region adapted the idea to their local taste and available produce. Aside from Bolognese, the hodgepodge-style of ragù from Naples became well known as immigrants from the city flooded into Ellis Island and brought with them their beloved “gravy” recipes. With the abundance of affordable meat in the New World, the sauce, once only served on important feast days, now appeared on every Sunday table. One such immigrant was Assunta Cantisano who sold her version, calling it Ragú, out of her front porch in Rochester, New York. Somehow, along the way, the accent turned from left to right, the meat disappeared completely, and the most famous “spaghetti sauce” in the United States was born.

Here, I offer a kind of hybrid of the French and Italian recipes. While there is a base of tomato supplied by the rich double-concentrated paste, it’s far from a tomato sauce. While I could see it dressing a beautiful wide noodle, it’s equally delicious topping polenta, mashed potatoes, or between two pieces of crusty bread — extra jus on the side for dunking.

Slow Cooker Chianti Beef Ragù
Serves 8 to 10

I large onion, diced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
6 tablespoons double-concentrated tomato paste
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
½ to 1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 cup unsalted beef broth or stock
1 cup Chianti, Sangiovese, or similar red wine
4 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 4 large pieces
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Preheat the slow cooker on high for 20 minutes. Place all ingredients except the roast and vinegar in a slow cooker and stir to combine. Add the meat and toss to coat. Reduce the heat to low setting and cover. Cook on low for 9½ hours.

Carefully skim any fat from the surface with a spoon and discard. Remove the pieces of meat to a cutting board and shred with 2 large forks to desired size, removing any large bits of fat. I recommend somewhat hearty pieces and not over-shredding to a texture of pulled pork. Return the meat to the sauce in the slow cooker, add the vinegar and allow to come to serving temperature, 15 to 30 minutes. Serve over creamy polenta, wide pasta such as Pappardelle, or between crusty bread.