‘A big bowl of red- wine-enriched ragu with fat pasta brings me so much joy. I use marsala rather than red wine as it adds a touch of sweetness that works well with the tender beef and salty bacon.’ ~ GH Kitchen director Sarah Akhurst
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Yields:
6 serving(s)
Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
3 hrs 20 mins
Total Time:
3 hrs 35 mins
Cal/Serv:
739
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 kg beef brisket, cut into large 4-5cm chunks
150 g bacon lardons
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. plain flour
200 ml marsala
400 g tin chopped tomatoes
300 ml beef stock (made with 1 stock pot)
180 g chestnuts, roughly chopped
450 g pappardelle
Grated Parmesan, to serve
Directions
Step 1Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan 140°C) mark 2. Heat the oil in a large lidded casserole dish and fry the beef in batches, for 3-4min, or until starting to caramelise. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.
Step 2Fry bacon in the residual oil for 3-4min over a medium heat, until starting to crisp, then add 1 celery stick, finely chopped onion, carrot and celery. Fry over a gentle heat for 8-10min, until soft. Add garlic, rosemary and tomato paste and continue to cook for 2min before stirring in the flour. Cook for 1min more, then return meat to the pan.
Step 3Add marsala and allow to reduce slightly. Add tinned tomatoes and stock, making sure beef is covered in the liquid. Cover pan and transfer to the oven for 3hr.
Step 4Using a slotted spoon, remove meat to a board and shred using two forks. Add chestnuts to the pan and simmer the sauce for 5-6min, until thick and glossy. Return the meat to the pan and season generously.
Step 5Cook pasta according to pack instructions. Serve with ragu spooned over and garnished with Parmesan.
The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time
Sarah is Good Housekeeping's Kitchen and Homes Director, looking after all things food and homes for the brand. Sarah started her career in journalism, then retrained as a chef 15 years ago following a lifelong dream to work in food. Since retraining, she has worked as a private chef, assisted on tv commercials, created recipes for some of the country's leading brands and became the go-to birthday and wedding cake baker in her friends and family network. In 2025, she was shortlisted for Cookery Writer of the Year by the Guild of Food Writers
