Sponsored: porcini and beef brisket ragu
Serves: 8
Prep time: 1 hrTotal time: 
Sponsored
Image credit: Stuart West
Sponsored: porcini and beef brisket ragu
This slow-cooked, rich ragu is comfort food at its best. Enjoy with a glass of red wine
Serves: 8
Prep time: 1 hrTotal time: 
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Abigail Spooner
Abi is our Senior Food Producer. An obsessive foodie with a sweet tooth, she is happiest when baking and is a firm believer that there is always room for dessert (preferably following a big bowl of pasta)
See more of Abigail Spooner’s recipes
Ingredients
- 1.5-1.6kg beef brisket joint
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
- 1 large carrot, finely chopped
- 150g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 90g jar porcini mushroom paste
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 200ml Trapiche Reserve Malbec
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 600ml beef stock
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 600g spaghetti
- grated parmesan, to serve
Step by step
- Preheat the oven to 150°C, fan 130°C, gas 2. Trim excess fat from the brisket, then cut into 4cm chunks and season. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large casserole dish, then fry the beef in batches over a high heat until browned all over, adding a further 1 tablespoon of oil halfway; set aside.
- Reduce the heat and add the remaining oil, then fry the onion, celery and carrot for 8-10 minutes until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the garlic, mushroom paste and flour; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Return the beef to the pan with the tomatoes, stock and thyme. Stir, season and bring up to the boil. Cover and cook in the oven for 3 hours until the meat is very tender.
- Increase the oven temperature to 170°C, fan 150°C, gas 3½. Uncover the ragu and return to the oven for 30 minutes to thicken the sauce. Use tongs to remove the beef to a board and shred with two forks. Stir back into the sauce and check the seasoning. Leave to rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta to pack instructions. Drain, return to the pan and toss through half of the ragu. Divide among shallow bowls, spoon over the remaining ragu and scatter with parmesan to serve.
