Slow Cooker Beef Ragu Polenta (Printable version)
Tender beef in slow-simmered tomato sauce paired with creamy, buttery polenta for a hearty meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef Ragu
01 - 2 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
02 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
07 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
08 - 1 cup beef broth
09 - 1/2 cup dry red wine
10 - 2 tsp dried oregano
11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - 2 bay leaves
13 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
14 - Salt, to taste
15 - Black pepper, to taste
16 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Polenta
17 - 1 1/2 cups coarse cornmeal (polenta)
18 - 6 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
19 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
20 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
21 - Salt, to taste
→ To Serve
22 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional)
23 - Additional grated Parmesan cheese
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season beef with salt and pepper, then sear all sides until browned. Transfer beef to the slow cooker.
02 - In the same skillet, add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Transfer vegetables to the slow cooker.
03 - Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, red wine, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes to the slow cooker. Stir to combine evenly.
04 - Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is tender and easily shredded.
05 - Remove bay leaves. Shred the beef with two forks and stir back into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
06 - About 45 minutes before serving, bring water or broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until thick and creamy, about 30 to 40 minutes.
07 - Stir in unsalted butter, grated Parmesan, and salt to taste until fully incorporated.
08 - Ladle the beef ragu generously over creamy polenta. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and additional grated Parmesan if desired.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The beef practically dissolves into the sauce, creating this luxurious texture that makes the whole meal feel indulgent without fussing.
- Everything happens in the slow cooker while you live your day, so dinner isn't a last-minute scramble.
- Polenta is secretly the most versatile canvas—creamy one night, fried into crispy squares the next morning if you have leftovers.
02 -
- Don't skip the searing step; that caramelized crust is where half the flavor lives, and the slow cooker won't develop it on its own.
- Polenta needs constant stirring or you'll hit a scorched patch on the bottom that ruins the whole pot—low heat and patience beat high heat and hope.
- If your ragu looks thin at the end, remove the bay leaves and let it simmer uncovered for fifteen minutes while the polenta finishes; it'll concentrate and deepen naturally.
03 -
- Start the polenta about forty-five minutes before you plan to serve so it finishes just as the ragu is ready; timing is the only thing that needs coordination.
- If you're cooking on high instead of low, add the herbs halfway through so they don't lose all their flavor to the long cook.
- Taste the sauce after six hours; sometimes beef releases water and the sauce needs an extra thirty minutes uncovered to concentrate.