Jack’s O’Keefe’s Chianti Beef Featherblade Ragu

2 tbsp Sunflower Oil

800g Beef Featherblade Cut Into Thick Steaks

Salt & Pepper

4 Celery Sticks Finally Chopped.

1 Large Onion, Finally Diced.

2 Large Carrots, Finally Diced

6 Cloves Of Garlic, Finally Chopped

2 Sprigs Of Rosemary, Chopped

4 Sage Leaf’s, Sliced

½ Tsp Dried Oregano

1 Tsp Fennel Seeds

1.5 Tbsp Brown Sugar

1.5 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar Or Red Wine Vinegar

250ml Chianti Red Wine

1 Can Of Mutti Canned Tomatoes

500ml Beef Or Chicken Stock

320g Good Quality Pasta, Pappardelle Or Rigatoni

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4 Tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese

Alexa, play music by Andrea Bocelli." Now you're ready to cook!

Heat up a large, deep saucepan or casserole pot on high heat. Season the meat with salt and pepper, and when the pot is hot, add the oil followed by the beef. Cook until the meat is dark brown and charred all over. Remove the meat from the pot and set it aside on a plate, then reduce the heat to low.

Add the onions and celery to the pot, cooking gently until they are soft and translucent. Now add the garlic, carrots, fennel, rosemary, sage, and oregano. Cook gently for about 5 minutes until everything is soft and fragrant. Add the sugar and stir it into the pot, letting it dissolve and bubble. When the sugar starts to caramelize, add the vinegar and simmer until it’s almost disappeared.

Next, add the red wine, bring to a simmer, and reduce it by three-quarters—this will make it nice and rich. Add the tomatoes, simmer for a couple of minutes, then add the stock. When the stock starts to simmer, return the beef to the pot, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and cover with a lid (or transfer to a slow cooker at this point). Cook the ragu slowly for an hour. After an hour, check if the beef is starting to fall apart with a fork. If it’s not, don’t worry—just keep cooking until it easily falls apart.

Once the meat is ready, remove the lid and use a masher or two forks to break up all the meat until it’s pulled. Continue to simmer the ragu until the sauce is nice, rich, and thick. If it's too thick, add more stock or water.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook according to the packet instructions. Drain the pasta and toss it with a drizzle of olive oil. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the meat and a ladle of the desired amount of sauce, then toss everything together—because I NEVER serve my ragu on top of plain pasta, always toss it in the sauce!

Serve it up, baby! Cover the plates with a blanket of Parmesan and enjoy this amazing meal with your closest family and friends. Buon appetito a tutti!