It’s been so cold this week, all we want is some hearty, comforting food to keep us cosy! This ragù is the perfect winter warmer recipe. With a rich sauce and some lovely cuts of meat you can treat yourself to some comfort food, whilst the spiralized sweet potato keeps it healthy!
beef dripping, for cooking
600 g/21 oz. oxtail (on the bone)
600 g/21 oz. beef short rib arrowroot, to coat
3 smoked garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely diced
1 large white onion, finely diced
2 celery stalks/ribs, finely diced
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
2 bay leaves
400 ml/1 ¾ cups chicken stock (or water)
11/2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
3 tablespoons good-quality balsamic vinegar
225 g/8 oz. baby plum tomatoes
salt and black pepper, to season
to serve
2–3 large sweet potatoes
chopped fresh parsley
mixed green salad
SERVES 4–6
Set a large casserole dish over medium heat and add 1–2 tablespoons of beef dripping. Coat the meat in arrowroot and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the meat to the dish – any fatty bits need to take priority on the heat. Once the meat is coloured and sealed, remove from the pan.
Put all the vegetables and herbs except the tomatoes in the dish and sauté for a few minutes. Return the meat to the pan, stir everything together, add the stock, mustard and balsamic, and cover with a lid. Simmer for 40 minutes.
Remove the lid and stir everything together. Cover the dish with baking parchment, and simmer over low–medium heat for another 1–2 hours, stirring occasionally. If the ragù sauce is reducing too much, add a little water and put the lid over the baking parchment.
Add the tomatoes for the last 30–40 minutes.
The meat should fall apart and fall off the bone; the sauce should be reduced and thickened. Remove the bones from the dish and keep warm.
Spiralize the sweet potato. Set a frying pan/skillet over medium heat and sauté the sweet potato with a little water for a few minutes until softened.
Serve the sweet potato with the ragù, sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley, and a side salad.
For more recipes like this, check out Perfectly Paleo by Rosa Rigby.