Boeuf a la Ragout (Beef Ragoût)

Our Baroque Theme meal of 3/7 was a close contest between the Cheese Tart, the Wine sautéed Mushrooms and this dish… but in the end, the Boeuf a la Ragout (Beef Ragoût) nosed out the completion and won the Star. Give it a try and see if you don’t agree.

Chef’s Note - The red food coloring is not essential to the taste of the dish, it is there to add a brightness to the dish and make the meat look more like venison (since wild game was believed to have greater nutritional value, over domesticated forms of protein) and while it isn’t essential to the taste of the dish, it does make the dish more eye-pleasing.

- Chez

• 3 lbs. boneless beef chuck
• 1 cups beef stock
• 2 cups strong red wine
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup onions, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp. pepper
• fresh ginger – 5 each 2” x ¼” planks
• 1/2 tbs turnsole (red food coloring can be used as an alternative)
• 1 lb. turnips, peeled & sliced
• ½ lb baby carrots
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced

1. Salt beef on all side and allow to rest 3 minutes.
2. Brown beef in shallow frying pan (Not a non-stick pan),brown 5 minutes on each side and set aside.
3. In a slow cooker layer turnips, carrots and celery,
4. Once meat is browned, add stock and 1 cup red wine and return to high heat. Reduce by half and set aside to cool slightly.
5. Add stock, wine, garlic, salt, bay leaf, garlic and onions. Add beef on top of vegetables. Add pepper and ginger and simmer covered for 3-4 hours on high (until meat is very tender).
6. Remove meat and shred, removing and gristle and fat found.
7. Strain wine broth mixture into sauce pan. (The veggies have given their all, so throw them away.)
8. Add 1 cup red wine and place over high heat and reduce by half. Add red food coloring to broth mixture and whisk well.
9. Return meat to slow cooker and pour broth mixture over. Place on ‘warming heat’ until ready to serve.
10. Serve atop buttered egg noodles and garnish with chopped parsley.