Slow Cooker Beef Ragu

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love to make anything in the slow cooker. If I see a recipe I like for something, I might adapt it for the slow cooker so we can go about our day running errands or going for coffee and not have to worry about what's for supper. I know a lot of you feel that way. This recipe fits the bill. 

My favourite slow cooker recipes are stews, chilis and sauces. I've also made some yummy soups in it, too. This Ragu is a "made for us" version of a recipe I came across on the Canadian Living website. Not having had all of the necessary ingredients at home at the time, I improvised and came up with this delicious take on the recipe. The ingredients are what I had on hand but you can use your own favourite brands. Oh heavens it's good and a keeper! Enjoy

Slow Cooker Beef Ragu

Cooking time: 7 ½ hours on Low

Makes 6 cups

1 lb (454g) stewing beef cubes
4 slices of uncooked bacon, diced

2 large onions, chopped (or 2 cups frozen)

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (the more the merrier)

1 10oz (284ml) can of Beef Broth
1 20oz (540ml) can Chunky Stewed Tomatoes 

1 small can tomato paste – I used 3 tbsps

1 teaspoon sugar (white or brown)

2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

3 bay leaves

Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste

These are the brands of broth and tomatoes that I used (and prefer). 

Mix ingredients together well with stewing beef in a plastic bag or large bowl and place in slow cooker (or just mix it all in the slow cooker).  


Cook on low for 7 and 1/2 hours. Discard bay leaves. Shred or mash beef in slow cooker. Mix all together well. Serve over pasta or mashed potatoes. 

Enjoy! 

Slow Cooker Pork Roast

I have lovely childhood memories of coming home from school and smelling a pork roast cooking in the oven. My Mom made an awesome roast and pork was always my favourite. She loved to cook and try out new recipes, too. I know that's where I get it from. My father did a lot of cooking, too. It made us all interested in working in the kitchen. My three brothers are awesome cooks. 

This is just a basic recipe. I like to use this for any roast or even a whole chicken (for which I use chicken broth and I replace the dried onions with poultry seasoning). I've even used it to slow cook turkey breasts. They come out so moist and delicious. 

Slow Cooker Pork Roast

1 5-lb pork shoulder blade roast

1 10-oz beef broth (I use low-sodium)

2 tablespoons dried, diced onions (not French onions)

Fresh ground salt and pepper to taste

Pour about 1/4 of the can of broth into your slow cooker. Put in the pork roast. Pour the remainder of the broth over the roast. Generously season with freshly ground salt and pepper. Disperse dried onions over roast and into the broth around the sides. 

Cook on Low for 7-8 hrs. 

And... Voila! 

Enjoy! 

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Slow Cooker Pasta Sauce

You know those days when you just don't want your stove on all day, yet you want a yummy, slow simmering pasta sauce to serve over spaghetti? You know what I mean. That's right. Well, why not just start the sauce in a frying pan (onions, peppers, garlic and meat), then throw that and the rest of the ingredients into your slow cooker and let it just simmer all day. Well, for about 4 hours, in my case. The house smells yummy and the small amount of prep work is so well worth it. Well, if that's what you are looking to do, look no further. This recipe can be tweaked to your liking. It's basic and uses ingredients you can easy find and might already have in your cupboards. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. 

Slow Cooker Pasta Sauce

2 tablespoons olive or canola oil

1 lb ground chicken (ground beef, if you prefer) 

2 mild Italian sausages, casings removed

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 large green pepper

1 teaspoon (or more) jarred minced garlic, or 4 or 5 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon dried basil

2 Tablespoons dried oregano 

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Sauté the onions and green pepper in oil in a non-stick frying pan for about 5 minutes, just to get them starting to cook. Add the ground chicken (or beef) and the Italian sausages to the onions and peppers.  Chop up the meat as it cooks (with a spatula), breaking up any big chunks so it cooks evenly. Add the garlic, basil, oregano and black pepper to the pan and stir until throughly mixed. Let it cook for about 5 minutes. Pour this meat mixture into your slow cooker. 

Add these remaining ingredients to the slow cooker: 

1 - 700ml (almost 3 cups in imperial measures) jar of your favourite spaghetti sauce (in this case I used Catelli Garden Select Parmesan & Romano as it was lower in sodium)

1 large can no-salt diced tomatoes

1 398ml (medium) can no-salt tomato sauce

1 tablespoon sugar (yep)

1/4 cup oat bran (the fine stuff, used in muffins and eaten as hot cereal) I used this to thicken sauces. 

1/4 cup (or more) grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese

Stir all these ingredients together and simmer in your slow cooker for about 4 hours on high (if you are home for the day) or 6 hrs on the low setting. I know it says to not check on food in the slow cooker but, in this case, stir the sauce once every hour (if you are home) to help all the ingredients marry and to make sure your sauce is not sticking to the crock pot. 

Enjoy the sauce over your favourite pasta or use it in your lasagne recipe. You won't be dissapointed!