Instant Pot Beef Ragu

Instant Pot Beef Ragu is a thick and savory Italian tomato based sauce with fall-apart-tender shredded beef mixed in. Your electric pressure cooker makes quick work of tenderizing and cooking the chuck roast all the while infusing it with amazing flavors of herbs, spices and red wine. It will taste like it cooked all day!

Serve this Beef Ragu over your favorite pasta noodle, polenta or mashed potatoes.

To make this recipe on your stove top head over to this Beef Ragu Recipe!

What is Ragu

Ragu is a traditional rustic Italian meat sauce that is commonly served over pasta.

Ingredients and Supplies

Here are the things your need to make this amazing beef ragu dinner:

• 6-8 quart Instant Pot or Electric Pressure Cooker

• 2 lb (up to 2.5#) chuck roast
• kosher salt and pepper
• yellow onion 
• garlic cloves 
• 1 cup red wine a hearty red wine that is not sweet (Cabernet, Merlot, or Malbec are good choices)
• dried basil
• fennel seed
• onion powder
• all spice
• red pepper flakes
• bay leaf
• 28 oz can good quality crushed tomatoes
• sugar
•  balsamic vinegar
• For Serving: pasta, polenta or mashed potatoes

Chuck Roast

When buying a chuck roast make sure that you get one that looks well marbled. You don’t need anything better than “choice” grading.

Crushed Tomatoes

This is not the time to save $1, you want to buy the very best crushed tomatoes. Since it is the base of the sauce you want high quality. I find that Cento or Muir Glen are both great brands.

Red Wine

Make sure that you are using a wine that you also like to drink. 1. because you only use 1 cup so you can drink the rest of the bottle, and 2. because it is going to flavor the sauce.

Grab a robust red wine that is not sweet. Something like a cabernet, malbec or merlot will work great here.

How to Make Beef Ragu in The Instant Pot

Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode and add the oil. Once it reads “hot” add the onions and sauté for about 3 mins. Add the garlic and sauté 1 more minute.

Pour in the red wine and completely deglaze the bottom of the pot. Don’t skip this step, it will help prevent from getting the dreaded burn warning!

Sprinkle in the salt, pepper, basil, onion powder, all spice, fennel seed, red pepper flakes and bay leaf. Give the sauce a good stir to combine.

Trim any large pieces of fat from the chuck roast. Then cut it into 2 inch pieces. Nestle the cut beef pieces into the sauce.

Set to cook on high pressure for 30 minutes for 2# roast, 35 minutes for a 2.5# roast. Do a 10 minute natural release and finish with a quick release.

Remove the beef pieces from the pot, shred and/or chop them into bite sized pieces. Discard any large pieces of fat. Tip: place the beef on a rimmed baking sheet to shred. It catches the liquid and contains any messes.

Skim the excess fat/grease from the top of the sauce and discard. Also remove the bay leaf and discard.

Turn the sauce back on sauté mode, add the sugar, balsamic and the shredded beef. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Serving

Cool the sauce for about 5 minutes then serve over cooked pasta noodles garnished with shredded parmesan cheese and whole milk ricotta and/or burrata.

You can also serve this recipe over mashed potatoes, instant pot mashed potatoes, creamy polenta!

Storing

Store any leftover Beef Ragu in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Tips for the BEST Beef Ragu

• Trim large pieces of white fat from the chuck roast. This will prevent your sauce from turning greasy.
• Don’t skip the all spice! It adds the depth of flavor you want in a ragu.
• Buy the best quality crushed tomatoes you can. This is the base for your sauce so do not skimp here! I like Cento or Muir Glen are both great and readily available.
• Choose a wine you will also like to drink. This is not the time for Two Buck Chuck. You only use 1 cup of the bottle, so you can enjoy a nice glass when it is time to eat.

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