Braised Beef Ragu with Creamy Parmesan Polenta

Braised beef ragu with creamy parmesan polenta, a hearty, flavorful tomato sauce with beautiful braised and slow cooked meat on top of a smooth and creamy polenta!

I am so in love with this recipe for a slew of reasons…

1. Who doesn’t love meat that’s been browned and cooked low and slow for hours?
2. A hearty tomato sauce with Ragu’s Homestyle Thick & Hearty meat sauce flavored with red wine, basil, and oregano.
3. A rich and creamy parmesan polenta that gives new meaning to comfort because it is the ultimate comfort food.
4. RIDICULOUSLY easy to make! All you need is a slow cooker and a pot! 🙂

If someone where to ask me to identify my style of cooking, the first thing I’d say is that I’am all about comfort food. I love recipes that immediately take you back to home and sitting around the dinner table with family. This beef braised ragu is one of those dishes that invokes nostalgia and comfort for me. It’s a dish that I call “stick to ya ribs” because its warm, hearty and the perfect thing to eat on a cold night. Oh, and if you’re trying to impress your significant other with a home cooked meal than this is the recipe for you!

 The recipe sounds intimidating, but I promise its not. The flavorful and hearty sauce is made with Ragu’s Homestyle Thick & Hearty Meat Sauce, and it’s the star in my opinion. I love the thickness and flavor of the sauce, and I’ve been eating Ragu for as long as I can remember! I think it was the first tomato sauce I’d ever had. It tastes like a homemade sauce that’s been simmering for hours, and is perfect in this braised beef ragu. This year Ragu is celebrating their 80th birthday, and I’m happy to be celebrating with them as their sauces have been a part of my family for years.

To make this beautiful recipe, I took a 3 pound beef round roast and seared each side in a piping hot skillet with some olive oil. Then I transferred the beef to one of my kitchen best friends, the crockpot . Next the Ragu sauce went in with some red wine, tomato paste, onions, oregano, garlic, and basil. Covered the pot and left it to cook low and slow for 7-8 hours. Result… tender beef that falls a part in a delicious tomato sauce.

WATCH HOW TO MAKE THIS BEEF BRAISED RAGU

For the polenta, which has always sounded intimidating to me, but actually isn’t at all I used some yellow corn meal. That went into a bot of salted boiling water, and stir fast because it can clump pretty quickly! I turned off the heat and then added some garlic, butter, and parmesan cheese. Stirred that all together, and amazingly I got a creamy, velvety polenta. I honestly couldn’t believe how easy it was to make. Check out the recipe below, and Happy 80th Birthday to Ragu! To celebrate with them, head on over to their recipe page for more amazing recipes!

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Braised Beef Ragu with Creamy Parmesan Polenta

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes

Hearty, flavorful tomato sauce with beautiful braised and slow cooked meat on top of a smooth and creamy polenta!

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Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 3 lbs. beef rump roast
• one medium sized onion, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 23-ounce jar RAGÚ® Homestyle Thick & Hearty Meat Sauce
• 1/2 cup of good red wine
• 3 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon of basil
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and black pepper to taste

For the Polenta

• 6 cups of water
• 1 tablespoon of minced garlic (3 cloves)
• 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups of Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat, and add the rump roast to the skillet. Sear each side of the roast for about 5 minutes, or until a nice golden brown crust.
2. Remove the beef from the skillet and add it to the crockpot with the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. The beef should be tender and easily falling apart. Shred the beef with two forks, and mix all together.
3. For the polenta, combine the water, garlic, and salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and slowly add in the cornmeal, stirring constantly to prevent lumps and clumping. Simmer over very low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened.
5. Turn off the heat, and stir in the parmesan cheese and butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve together with the braised beef ragu.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1700Total Fat: 100gSaturated Fat: 40gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 46gCholesterol: 470mgSodium: 1715mgCarbohydrates: 65gFiber: 9gSugar: 16gProtein: 123g