Smoky Beef Radiatori

Beef soup bones are good for more than soup. These meaty, bone-in cuts turn tender with slow cooking, building a rich sauce while the beef cooks.

For this meal, we're braising them with fresh Beefsteak tomatoes, Beef Bone Broth, a little dry red wine and LFK Backyard Blend, then tossing everything with Black Smoke Radiatori from West Michigan Pasta & Provisions. Smoked paprika and hickory smoke in the pasta bring a smoky flavor to a simple, hearty meal.

Farmstead Meal #010
Serves: 4-6
Prep Time: About 15 minutes
Cook Time: About 3–4 hours, plus time to finish the sauce

Ingredients

From The Farmstead

• 2–3 lb meaty Beef Soup Bones, thawed
• 2 lb Piedt Acres Beefsteak Tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 cup Beef Bone Broth, plus more as needed
• 1–2 teaspoons LFK Backyard Blend
• 12–16 oz Black Smoke Radiatori from West Michigan Pasta & Provisions

From Your Pantry or Garden

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• ½ cup (4 fl oz) dry red wine

Directions

1. Brown the Beef

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Pat the beef dry. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the meaty bones on both sides, working in batches if needed. Transfer to a plate.

2. Build the Sauce

Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook for 3–4 minutes. Pour in the dry red wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 2–3 minutes.

Stir in the chopped tomatoes, 1 cup Beef Bone Broth and 1 teaspoon LFK Backyard Blend. Return the beef and any juices to the pot and bring to a gentle simmer.

3. Cook Low & Slow

Cover and bake for about 3–4 hours, until the beef pulls away easily with a fork. Check occasionally and add a splash of broth if the pot starts getting dry.

If the beef is still tough, cover and keep cooking. Let tenderness guide you rather than the clock.

4. Pull the Beef

Carefully lift the bones and beef out of the pot. Pull the meat into bite-sized pieces, checking for small bone fragments and discarding the bones and any tough pieces. Return the beef to the sauce.

5. Finish the Sauce

Simmer uncovered on the stovetop until the sauce is thick enough to coat the pasta, stirring occasionally. Fresh tomatoes release plenty of juice, so give this step the time it needs.

Taste before adding more Backyard Blend. The seasoning contains salt, and the flavor will become stronger as the sauce reduces.

6. Cook the Pasta & Serve

Cook the Black Smoke Radiatori according to the package directions. Reserve a little pasta water, then drain and toss the pasta with the beef and tomato sauce.

If the sauce needs loosening, add a splash of the reserved pasta water. Serve warm.

Farmstead Tip

WHY SOUP BONES?

Soup bones bring meat, bones and collagen to the same pot. As they cook slowly, the beef becomes tender and collagen breaks down into gelatin, giving the sauce richness and body. You're building flavor and cooking the beef together.

Know Your Cut: Beef Soup Bones

Our Beef Soup Bones come from various sections of our grass-fed cattle. They're meaty, bone-in cuts that reward a little patience, making them useful for much more than homemade broth.

The amount of beef varies from package to package. For this meal, choose meaty pieces and plan on approximately four servings when paired with the pasta and tomatoes.

Why Cook Them Low & Slow?

These cuts need time for the meat to soften and the collagen to break down. Gentle cooking in a covered pot with tomatoes, broth and wine keeps the beef moist while that happens.

The fork test matters most. If the beef doesn't pull apart easily, it needs more time.

More Ways to Cook Beef Soup Bones

Use soup bones for beef and vegetable soup, beef and barley, homemade broth or a slow-cooked tomato sauce. You can also pull the tender beef into gravy and serve it over mashed potatoes.

Browning first adds flavor. From there, add liquid, cover and let time do most of the work.

Meet the Maker: West Michigan Pasta & Provisions

Based in Mattawan, Michigan, West Michigan Pasta & Provisions makes artisan pasta in small batches. The standard recipe starts with semolina and water, with U.S.-made durum semolina flour and specialty grains forming the base for a variety of pastas.

Traditionally Crafted

Brass dies and traditional Italian equipment give the pasta its distinctive shapes, texture and bite. Working in small batches allows close attention to quality throughout the process.

Slowly Air-Dried

The pasta dries over several days at cooler temperatures, giving it time to develop flavor. Every batch is handled and inspected by the chef before it's ready for your kitchen.

Why Black Smoke Radiatori?

Radiatori's ridges and folds catch the beef and tomato sauce, bringing everything together in each bite.

The Black Smoke variety is made with activated charcoal, smoked paprika and hickory smoke powder. The charcoal gives it a dark color, while the paprika and hickory bring the smoky flavor that gives this meal its name.

What You'll Find at The Farmstead

Pick up Beef Soup Bones from our farm, Beef Bone Broth, Piedt Acres Beefsteak Tomatoes, LFK Backyard Blend and Black Smoke Radiatori from West Michigan Pasta & Provisions.

Add an onion, cooking oil and a little dry red wine from your pantry. The prep is simple, and most of the cooking happens while the covered pot is in the oven.

Made Possible by Local Producers

• Jake's Country Meats: Beef Soup Bones & Beef Bone Broth
• West Michigan Pasta & Provisions: Black Smoke Radiatori
• LFK: Backyard Blend
• Piedt Acres: Beefsteak Tomatoes

These are the farmers and makers featured in this Farmstead Meal. What's available changes with the season, which is part of the idea: start with good meat, see what local farmers and makers are bringing in, and build dinner from there.

About The Farmstead

The Farmstead by Jake's Country Meats brings together meat from our family farm and food from neighboring farms, fisheries, and local makers. It's a place to know where your food comes from, meet the people behind it, and find simple ways to enjoy what's in season.

Through good food and shared recipes, we're building a stronger local food system, one meal at a time.

Visit us at 57470 M-51 S, Dowagiac, MI, just south of town.