Restaurant-Quality Short Rib Ragu at Home

Ingredients

• 2 lb Beef Chuck Roast
• 1 Yellow Onion
• 3 Carrot
• 2 stalks Celery
• 7 cloves Garlic (6-8 cloves)
• 28 oz Crushed Tomatoes (1 can)
• 1 Parmigiano-Reggiano Rind (if you have it)
• 3 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 2 sprigs Rosemary
• 8.5 sprigs Thyme (8-9 sprigs)
• 2 Bay Leaf
• 1.5 cups Cabernet Sauvignon or other Dry Red Wine
• 2 cups Beef Broth
• 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt (to taste)
• Black Pepper (to taste)
• 500 g Tipo 00 Flour (for fresh pasta)
• 5 Egg
• 0.25 tsp Salt (for pasta dough)
• Water (as needed for pasta dough)
• Parmigiano-Reggiano (to taste, for garnish)
• Basil (to taste, for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the vegetables: Dice the yellow onion, carrots, and celery stalks. Mince the garlic cloves.

2. 2

   Season the beef chuck roast generously with salt and black pepper on all sides.

3. 3

   Set the Instant Pot to 'Sauté' mode and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once hot, sear the beef chuck roast until deeply browned on all sides. Remove the beef and set aside.

4. 4

   In the same pot, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent.

5. 5

   Stir in the minced garlic, 3 tablespoons of tomato paste, and 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

6. 6

   Deglaze the pot by pouring in 1 ½ cups of Cabernet Sauvignon, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits (fond).

7. 7

   Add the 28oz can of crushed tomatoes, 2 cups of beef broth, rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and the Parmigiano-Reggiano rind.

8. 8

   Return the seared beef to the pot. Close the lid and set the Instant Pot to 'Pressure Cook' on high for 75 minutes.

9. 9

   While the beef cooks, prepare the fresh pasta: Mound 500g of Tipo 00 flour on a clean surface and create a well in the center. Add 5 eggs and 1/4 tsp salt to the well. Gradually incorporate the flour into the eggs, adding water as needed, until a dough forms. Knead until smooth, then let rest before rolling and cutting into your desired shape.

10. 10

    Once the pressure cooking time is complete, allow for a natural pressure release. Carefully remove the beef and shred it using two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat.

11. 11

    Remove and discard the herb sprigs, bay leaves, and cheese rind from the sauce. Stir the shredded beef back into the sauce along with 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter to finish.

12. 12

    Cook the fresh pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Toss the pasta with the ragu and serve garnished with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and basil.

Notes

The recipe uses beef chuck roast as a more accessible alternative to short ribs while maintaining the same flavor profile. If you don't have an Instant Pot, this can be slow-cooked in a Dutch oven at 300°F (150°C) for 3-4 hours until the beef is tender.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• dinner
• pasta
• beef
• slow-cooked
• instant pot
• comfort food