Why Slow Cooker Ragu Works So Well
A slow cooker takes the effort out of making a proper ragu. The long, gentle cooking breaks down the meat and allows the flavours to develop in a way that a quick pan sauce simply cannot match.
Most of us have made a basic spaghetti Bolognese countless times. It does the job on a busy weeknight. But a true ragu, cooked low and slow for several hours, is a different thing altogether. The sauce becomes rich and deeply flavoured, with meat that melts into the tomatoes rather than sitting in distinct lumps.
Interestingly, Italians would rarely serve a meat ragu with spaghetti. Tagliatelle or pappardelle are the traditional choices, as the wider ribbons hold the sauce better. The spaghetti Bolognese we know outside Italy emerged from adaptations and reinterpretations of Italian cooking as it spread abroad, rather than from any authentic regional tradition. That said, there is no pasta police. Serve it however you prefer.
Choosing Your Ingredients
The quality of your mince matters more in slow cooking than in faster methods. Cheap mince with a high fat content can leave your finished sauce greasy, and the meat can turn oddly spongy after hours in the pot. Look for beef mince with around 10 to 15 percent fat. A mixture of beef and pork mince will add extra depth if you fancy it.
Your other ingredients need not be expensive, but they should be fresh and free of blemishes. Tinned tomatoes work perfectly well. A good quality passata is another option. San Marzano tomatoes have a sweeter, less acidic flavour, though supermarket own brand chopped tomatoes work well for everyday cooking.
Use a wine you would actually drink. It does not need to be pricey, but cooking will not improve something that tastes unpleasant to begin with. A basic Montepulciano or Chianti works well. If you would rather not use wine, a splash of beef stock with a teaspoon of red wine vinegar gives a similar depth.
Carrots, celery and onion form the base. This combination, known as soffritto in Italian cooking, provides the foundation for the sauce. Chop everything finely so it breaks down during cooking.
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Putting It Together
Brown the mince in a hot frying pan first. This step is not strictly essential with a slow cooker, but it adds colour and flavour that you will not get otherwise. Do this in batches so the meat fries rather than steams.
Soften the chopped vegetables in the same pan, scraping up any browned bits from the meat. Add a couple of cloves of garlic, finely chopped, for the last minute or so.
Transfer everything to your slow cooker. Add the tomatoes, a good splash of wine, a bay leaf, and a pinch of dried oregano. Season lightly at this stage. You can adjust later once the sauce has reduced.
Cook on low for six to eight hours, or on high for four to five hours. Times may vary depending on your slow cooker's size and how much you are making, so check the consistency towards the end. Cooking on low allows the flavours to meld more evenly, though the high setting works when time is short.
Serving and Storing
Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving. A ragu often benefits from a pinch of sugar if the tomatoes taste too sharp. Serve with tagliatelle cooked al dente, or whatever pasta you have to hand.
This recipe makes a generous amount. Leftover ragu keeps well in the fridge for three to four days and freezes for up to three months. It also works nicely in lasagne, on jacket potatoes, or spooned over soft polenta.
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