Crock Pot Rustic Italian Beef Ragu

Ingredients

3-4 lbs beef roast the cheapest cut will do
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion peeled and finely chopped
1 carrot peeled and finely chopped
1 ½ cups red wine such as Chianti
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes for North America
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 ½ tbsp minced garlic (I use the kind in a jar with water)
¼ tsp pepper flakes
1 tbsp uncooked rice
1 tbsp McCormick Sweet & Smoky rub
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 handfuls grated Parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
Your favorite egg noodles or pasta

Instructions

Finely chop onion and carrots and put on the bottom of the crock pot.
Cut roast into 2-3″ cubes and brown them in olive oil in a frying pan over high heat in stages, don’t
overcrowd the meat so it browns nicely. Add it to the vegetables.
Off the heat pour wine into the frying pan and use a rubber spatula to loosen all the delicious bits from
the bottom of the pan, that’s where much of the flavor is concentrated, add canned tomatoes, garlic, rice
and spices. Stir and pour into crock pot. Cook on low for 8 hours.
In the last hour take the lid off and shred the beef with two forks, add splash of water or wine if the meat
is too dry. Cook for one hour longer. At the end of cooking time stir in butter for more flavor.
Before serving cook your pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions.
Combine 1/3 of beef ragu with hot pasta and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Freeze the rest of ragu for later use.