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Pressure Cooker Beef Ragu
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Pressure Cooker Beef Ragu

Rich, slow-style beef ragu made quickly in a pressure cooker. Tender shredded beef in a tomato-wine sauce — perfect with pappardelle, polenta or mashed potato. Serves 8.

Prep:25 min
Cook:75 min
Total:100 min
Servings:8
medium
pressure cooker
beef ragu
Italian
pasta
comfort food

Ingredients

  • •1800 g Beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 3–4 cm pieces
  • •2 tsp Sea salt
  • •1 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground
  • •2 tbsp Plain flour (for dusting)
  • •2 tbsp Olive oil
  • •1 tbsp Unsalted butter
  • •2 pcs Onion, finely chopped
  • •2 pcs Carrot, peeled and diced
  • •2 pcs Celery stalks, diced
  • •4 cloves Garlic cloves, crushed
  • •2 tbsp Tomato paste
  • •250 ml Red wine (dry)
  • •800 g Chopped tomatoes (tin)
  • •400 ml Tomato passata
  • •400 ml Beef stock (hot)
  • •1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • •1 tsp Dried oregano
  • •1 tsp Dried thyme
  • •2 pcs Bay leaves
  • •1 tsp Caster sugar (to balance acidity)
  • •15 g Fresh parsley, chopped (to serve)
  • •100 g Grated Parmesan (to serve, optional)
  • •800 g Pappardelle or tagliatelle (to serve)

Instructions

  1. 1.Season the beef pieces with salt and pepper, then dust lightly with plain flour, shaking off any excess.
  2. 2.Set the pressure cooker to the sauté/browning mode (or heat a heavy-based casserole on the hob). Add olive oil and butter. When hot, brown the beef in batches so pieces are well caramelised — about 3–4 minutes per batch. Transfer browned beef to a plate.
  3. 3.If the cooker is dry, add another teaspoon of oil. Add the chopped onion, carrot and celery and sauté for 5–7 minutes until softened and starting to colour. Add the crushed garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring to coat the veg and deepen the paste’s flavour.
  4. 4.Pour in the red wine to deglaze, scraping any brown bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Allow the wine to bubble and reduce by about half (2–3 minutes).
  5. 5.Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the cooker. Add the chopped tomatoes, passata, hot beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, dried oregano, dried thyme, bay leaves and sugar. Stir to combine and check seasoning (you’ll adjust later after reduction).
  6. 6.Secure the lid. For an electric pressure cooker (e.g. Instant Pot): set to High pressure for 35 minutes. For a stove-top pressure cooker: bring to full pressure then cook for 35–40 minutes. If you prefer a very fall-apart ragu, use 40 minutes.
  7. 7.Allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure and open the lid. Remove the bay leaves.
  8. 8.Using two forks, shred the beef into the sauce — it should pull apart easily. If the sauce looks thin, set the pressure cooker to sauté and simmer uncovered for 8–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens to a glossy, coat-the-back-of-a-spoon consistency. Taste and adjust salt, pepper and a little sugar if it needs balancing.
  9. 9.Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to packet instructions in plenty of salted boiling water. Drain, reserving a little cooking water. Toss the pasta with a ladle or two of ragu and a splash of pasta water to help the sauce cling to the pasta.
  10. 10.Serve the ragu over pasta, finish with chopped parsley and plenty of grated Parmesan. Leftovers keep very well and flavours improve overnight.