Ingredients
- beef shin 1 kg, cut into chunks
- plain flour 2 tbsp, seasoned really well
- olive oil
- onions 2, finely chopped
- carrots 3, grated
- star anise 1
- tomato purée 3 tbsp
- beef stock 200ml
- red wine 200ml
- passata 200ml
- basil a bunch, chopped
MAC 'N' CHEESE
- butter 35g
- plain flour 35g
- whole milk 700ml
- English mustard powder 1 tsp
- mature cheddar 200g, grated
- gruyère 100g, grated
- emmental 100g, grated
- macaroni 250g
Method
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Step 1
Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Start with the ragu. Toss the beef in the flour and shake off the excess. Heat a little oil in a heavy casserole then cook the beef chunks in small batches until they have a good colour on all sides, then scoop them out and do the next batch.
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Step 2
Once all the beef has browned, tip it back into the casserole and add the onion, carrot and star anise. Cook, stirring for about 5 minutes, then stir in the tomato purée. Add the stock, wine and passata and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan with foil and put on a lid to create a seal. Transfer to the oven and cook for 3 hours, then check the beef is done – you want it to fall apart easily. If it doesn’t, put it back in the oven for another 30 minutes to an hour. Stir in the basil.
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Step 3
Meanwhile, make the mac and cheese. Melt the butter in a pan then stir in the flour. Keep cooking and stirring for 3 minutes then gradually whisk in the milk to give a smooth sauce.
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Step 4
Add the mustard powder, cheddar, gruyère, emmental and stir until melted. Season.
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Step 5
Turn up the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Cook the macaroni until just al dente then rinse under cold water and drain well. Mix with the cheese sauce.
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Step 6
Spoon the ragu into a large baking dish. Top with the mac and cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Looking for the perfect macaroni and cheese recipe? Check out our favourite mac and cheese recipes here.

Nutritional Information
- Kcals 690
- Fat 34.8g
- Saturates 19.1g
- Carbs 39.9g
- Sugars 9.8g
- Fibre 4.1g
- Protein 47.5g
- Salt 1.1g