This hearty beef & mushroom ragu is a tribute to Alvi’s Drift Albertus Viljoen Bismarck 2020 from their Icon Range – a Shiraz driven red blend that also contains Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Durif, Grenache, Alicante Bouchet and a touch of Viognier. This robust, complex wine pairs beautifully with the deep umami tones of a slow braised Italian-style ragu, served with freshly made pasta and a grating of aged parmigiano.
These days, you’ll find boneless beef brisket roasts in many supermarket butchery isles. Cut it into cubes for a delicious boneless ragu. This meaty braise is a low effort, big result feast, and if you want to, you can absolutely skip some effort and serve it with store-bought pasta.
Take a look at my how-to video here:
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Ingredients: (serves 6)
30 ml olive oil
1,2-1,5 kg boneless beef brisket, cut into cubes
salt & pepper, to taste
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled & finely chopped
3-4 celery sticks, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
a handful mixed herbs, finely chopped (rosemary, thyme, sage)
250 g portabellini mushrooms, roughly chopped
250 ml (1 cup) dry red wine
600 g tomato passata
250 ml (1 cup) beef stock
500 g uncooked pasta (tagliatelle or linguine, etc)
salted water, for cooking the pasta
grated parmesan cheese, for serving
fresh basil leaves, for serving
Method:
Preheat the oven to 150 C. Heat the oil in a wide heavy pot or casserole over medium heat. Fry the meat cubes until lightly brown on some sides, seasoning with salt & pepper. Remove from the pot and set aside, then add the onions, carrots and celery. Fry until soft, then add the garlic and herbs and fry for another minute. Add the mushrooms, then fry until they start to soften. Add the wine and stir to reduce slightly and deglaze the bottom of the casserole, then add the passata and stock and stir. Add the fried meat back into the liquid, pressing them under the surface. Bring the mixture to a simmer, put a lid on, then transfer to the oven at 150 Celsius and cook for 3-4 hours until the meat is very tender. Season with salt & pepper, stir and set aside to rest.
Serve on freshly cooked pasta, with a grating of parmesan cheese & fresh basil.
This recipe was created in proud collaboration with Alvi’s Drift Wines.