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If you get a handful of basil, roll it into a cigar kind of shape on a chopping board an shove it in whole that might be easier to fish out but will also help bring out its flavour. Bit like a bouquet garni.
*sorry I posted that without looking at what @mashton said :(
Tenderloin
Did another ragu on Friday night. The basic recipe I've settled on is based on Genaro Contraldo's although he talks about topside, I like to use oxtail or shin.
This one was bone-in shin, (two big pieces) half a rack of baby back ribs and three big spicy Italian sausages. Browned the meat and set aside, soften finely diced carrot, celery and carrot, add back the meat, 3/4 of a bottle of red, three cans of tomatoes, squeeze of puree, a handful of grated Parmesan, a handful of torn basil, bay leaves and leave on a low simmer all day. Mine went on at 1pm for a 8pm serving.
In the last hour, removed the meat, lifted out the bones, discard any bits of gristle and separate the meat into chunks and shreds with my fingers. Split the sausages and stir in the meat. Keep simmering and occasionally stirring until it's shiny and dark red/brown. It didn't need seasoning at all.
The only thing I don't like about the Contraldo method is adding whole or torn basil leaves early means you end up fishing the wilted blackened remains out after 4+ hours simmer. Can't fault the taste though. I like it with pappardelle. Only had wholemeal in the cupboard this time and it was actually quite nice to have a slightly firmer texture.
Leftovers tonight. *drool.