Tucci Ragù

Recipe from "The Tucci Cookbook"

Adapted by Frank Bruni

Total Time
3 hours
Rating
4(153)
Notes
Read community notes

This recipe, a contemplation on classic Italian cooking, is adapted from “The Tucci Cookbook,” a book of recipes from the actor and director Stanley Tucci’s food-obsessed family. It will take some time, so set aside an afternoon, say, a Sunday in the fall, when browning meat and listening for the correct simmer are exactly what you want to do. (The New York Times) —Frank Bruni

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings
  • ¼cup olive oil
  • 1pound stewing beef, trimmed of fat, rinsed, patted dry and cut into pieces
  • 1pound country-style spareribs, trimmed of fat, rinsed, patted dry and cut in half
  • 1cup coarsely chopped onions
  • 3cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
  • ½cup dry red wine
  • 16-ounce can tomato paste
  • 8cups whole plum tomatoes (about two 35-ounce cans), passed through a food mill or puréed in a blender or food processor
  • 3fresh basil leaves
  • 1tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

376 calories; 23 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 24 grams protein; 273 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a stew pot over medium-high heat, warm olive oil. Sear stewing beef until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove from pot, set aside in a bowl.

  2. Step 2

    Add spareribs to pot and sear until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove ribs and set aside in bowl with stewing beef. (If your pot is big enough to hold all the meat in a single layer, it may be cooked at the same time.)

  3. Step 3

    Stir onions and garlic into pot. Reduce heat to low and cook until onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in wine, scraping bottom of the pot clean. Add tomato paste to pot. Pour ½ cup warm water into tomato paste can to loosen any residual paste and then pour into pot. Cook to warm the paste through, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes along with additional 1 cup warm water. Stir in basil and oregano. Cover with lid slightly askew and simmer about 30 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Return meat to pot, along with any juices that accumulated in bowl. Cover with lid slightly askew and simmer, stirring frequently, until meat is very tender and tomatoes are cooked, about 2 hours. Warm water may be added to sauce, in ½-cup portions, if sauce becomes too thick.

Ratings

4 out of 5
153 user ratings
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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Randy

Traditionally a ragu is served using the meats as one course and the sauce combined with pasta as another course. I prefer them together so I retrieve the meat chunks from the finished sauce and (after a brief cooling) mince or shred them and add them back into the sauce. It is a bit of a mess but makes a great meal served over polenta with some sautéed spinach or chard on the side. Cook it low & slow and thin the sauce with broth instead of water. A keeper.

Jennifer

Tastes good, but now I have large chunks of meat in the sauce. I'm thinking it should be shredded, but not sure how I'll accomplish that....

Thanksegon

Absolutely sensational the first night. After three days in the refrigerator, though, it becomes otherworldly. Freezes quite well, too.

DA

I thought it was odd that it didn’t call for salt. I watched a Tucci clip on YouTube and he salts the meat before he browns it… and adds a “decent amount” of salt… I would guess 1 Tbsp or more right after he adds the basil & oregano.

Amber

GREAT done with pork shoulder with the bone in.

Irini

are the ribs beef or pork?

Sandra

1/23/24: Added a marrow bone as the meats are too lean as purchased at the store.

Amber

This was quite good but don’t overcook the meat, it will get dry. And it needs bay leaves and thyme added. I added diced carrot and celery to the onions.

Amy

This is my very favorite ragu. I have doubled it, frozen it, put it on the back of the stove all afternoon, or into the crockpot after I’ve browned the meat. It’s so delicious and so easy. To the reader who wanted to know how to shred the meat, when it’s ready the pork should fall off the bone. If the pork or beef pieces are too big for you, fish them out with a slotted spoon and gently slice or pull apart with your fingers (when cool) and add them back to the pot.

DA

I thought it was odd that it didn’t call for salt. I watched a Tucci clip on YouTube and he salts the meat before he browns it… and adds a “decent amount” of salt… I would guess 1 Tbsp or more right after he adds the basil & oregano.

Thanksegon

Absolutely sensational the first night. After three days in the refrigerator, though, it becomes otherworldly. Freezes quite well, too.

Allan

Brilliant on fresh wide noodles! Did side-by-side pots and 1 tbs kosher salt helps bring out the flavors. Easy way to shred the meat if you want it that way is wearing a pair of heat proof gloves and just squeezing away like you would tomatoes. But the meat is pretty good on it's own too!

trexgirl

OMG, this sauce is amazing! Actually pretty easy and so very tasty. Cannot wait to add it to my Timpano next week.

Kalifa

No salt/pepper?

Jennifer

Tastes good, but now I have large chunks of meat in the sauce. I'm thinking it should be shredded, but not sure how I'll accomplish that....

Randy

Traditionally a ragu is served using the meats as one course and the sauce combined with pasta as another course. I prefer them together so I retrieve the meat chunks from the finished sauce and (after a brief cooling) mince or shred them and add them back into the sauce. It is a bit of a mess but makes a great meal served over polenta with some sautéed spinach or chard on the side. Cook it low & slow and thin the sauce with broth instead of water. A keeper.

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Credits

Adapted from 'The Tucci Cookbook' (Gallery Books)

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