Beef Brisket Ragu with Pasta

Enjoy a hearty and satisfying meal in under 2 hours with this mouth-watering Instant Pot beef brisket ragù recipe. Infused with rich tomato sauce and aromatic herbs, it’s perfect for a family pasta night or cosy dinner. Cooked to perfection and ready to impress!

- Sam Linsell

Ingredients:
2kg / 3lb – beef brisket (trim any fat or sinew) (use chuck roast as an alternative)
Olive oil for frying
100gms streaky bacon, finely diced
2 medium brown onions finely chopped
2 medium carrots peeled and finely chopped
1 large celery stalk, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (optional)
2 Tbs tomato paste
2 x 400gms / 28oz can Italian chopped tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
1 cup (250ml) red wine
2 cups (500ml) beef stock or beef broth
4 bay leaves
1 Tbs chopped rosemary
1 Tbsp chopped thyme leaves (or 2 stalks added whole)
1 Tbs sugar
2 tbsp chopped parsley (1 for cooking and 1 to serve)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese to serve
Pappardelle pasta (800gms / 28oz) will feed 8 people

Instructions:
Cut the brisket into smaller pieces and season well with salt & pepper and remove from the fridge about an hour or 2 before cooking.
Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and add a splash of olive oil to the bowl. When it is ready, brown the meat in 3 batches on all sides turning the meat as you go. As an alternative, brown the meat in a large frying pan. Once brown, remove the meat, and set them aside.

Keeping the Instant Pot set to Sauté, add the bacon and cook for a minute. Then add the chopped onions, carrot and celery and cook until softened – about 6 – 8 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent them from going brown. Add the fennel, garlic and tomato paste and cook briefly for about 30 seconds then add the red wine and allow this to reduce by a third. Add the 2 tins of chopped tomatoes along with the sugar, chopped rosemary and parsley.
Once bubbling, add the meat back (and any juices that drained off). Add the stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Add a generous amount of salt and pepper, stir, and bring everything to a bubble.
Close the lid and set the vent to SEAL. Set the Instant Pot to manually cook HIGH pressure (take off the keep warm function) and set it for 1 hour and 20 minutes (a total of 80 minutes).

Remove the meat and shred it, then return this to the sauce in the instant pot and toss to soak in and combine. Allow a few minutes as the meat really soaks up the sauce.

The brisket ragu can be made in advance or the day before. Reheat either in the Instant Pot set to Sauté function or on the stovetop. When you are ready to serve boil your tagliatelle or pappardelle for 5 – 6 minutes until al dente, strain and toss the ragu through the pasta.
Dish up the pasta and sprinkle over the remaining chopped parsley (optional), and a light spray of finely grated lemon zest (optional). Grate over a generous amount of Parmesan cheese and enjoy.

Notes:
Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.
Lightly sprinkle the finely grated zest of a lemon as an option.