Italian Slow-Cooked Beef Ragù, Pressure Cooker Version

Ingredients

• 800g–1kg beef chuck or stewing beef, cut into large chunks
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 2 celery sticks, finely diced
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 3–4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 400g tin of tomatoes (crushed or whole)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 200ml dry red wine
• 250ml beef stock
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig rosemary
• A few sprigs of thyme
• 1 Parmesan rind (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
• To finish:
• A splash of milk (optional)
• Fresh parsley
• Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• Pappardelle, tagliatelle or rigatoni

Method

1. Brown the beef. Pat the beef dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Set the pressure cooker to sauté mode. Heat the olive oil and brown the beef in batches until deeply caramelised on all sides. Remove and set aside.
2. Cook the soffritto. In the same pot, add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook for 5–7 minutes until softened and beginning to caramelise. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
3. Build the flavour. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the red wine and scrape the bottom of the pot to release all the caramelised beef bits. Simmer for 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly.
4. Assemble the ragù. Return the beef to the pot. Add the tomatoes, beef stock, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme and Parmesan rind. Stir gently. The liquid should come approximately halfway up the beef. Avoid exceeding the pressure cooker’s maximum fill line.
5. Pressure cook. Secure the lid and cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 55 minutes. Allow a natural pressure release for 15 minutes, then carefully release any remaining pressure according to your cooker’s instructions.
6. Finish the sauce. Remove the bay leaves, rosemary stalks, thyme stalks and Parmesan rind. Check the beef. It should be very tender but still hold some shape. Break a few pieces apart with two forks, leaving plenty of chunky pieces intact. If the sauce is too liquid, switch to sauté mode and simmer uncovered for 5–10 minutes until thick and glossy. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add a small splash of milk if desired to soften the acidity and enrich the sauce.
7. Serve. Cook the pasta in generously salted water until al dente. Transfer the pasta into the ragù with a splash of pasta cooking water. Toss together for a minute so the sauce coats the pasta beautifully. Finish with grated Parmigiano Reggiano, fresh parsley and a drizzle of good olive oil.

Notes

Paul’s Kitchen Notes • Chuck steak is ideal because its connective tissue breaks down beautifully under pressure. • Browning the beef properly is essential for a deep, rich flavour. • Keep the carrots and celery diced rather than puréed for a rustic texture. • If the beef isn’t fork-tender after cooking, pressure cook for another 5–10 minutes. • This ragù tastes even better the following day. • Freeze leftover sauce in individual portions for an easy pasta dinner.