Method

  1. Pat beef dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper
  2. Sear Beef
    Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over high heat in a heavy based pot. Add beef and sear each piece aggressively on all sides until very browned (3 - 5 minutes in total), then remove onto a plate.
  3. Turn stove down to medium low and add remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil.
  4. Soffrito
    Add garlic and onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the carrots and celery and sauté slowly for 5 minutes.
  5. Add remaining Ragu ingredients and return the beef to the pot (including pooled juices). Turn the stove up and bring it to a simmer, then turn it down to low so it's bubbling very very gently.
  6. Slow cook
    Cover the pot and let it cook for 2 hours or until beef is tender enough to shred.
  7. Shred
    Remove beef then coarsely shred with 2 forks. Return beef to the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes until sauce is reduced and thickened - beef will soften slightly more during this step.
  8. Final season
    Do a taste test and adjust the seasoning to your taste with salt and pepper. ALSO, add 1/2 tsp sugar if sauce is a bit sour for your taste. Place the lid on and set aside until ready to serve (it's even better the next day and freezes well for months!).