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Basic Meat Ragù

This recipe details a basic meat ragù, a foundational Italian sauce ideal for pasta. It involves sautéing aromatics, browning ground beef, deglazing with red wine, and simmering with tomatoes and herbs. The process yields a rich, hearty sauce in about an hour, perfect for a satisfying meal.
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Total Time 1 hour
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 people
Calories 1087.4 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Pot or Dutch Oven
  • 1 Cutting Board
  • 1 Chef's knife
  • 1 Wooden Spoon or Spatula
  • 1 Measuring Cups and Spoons

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
  • 1 fresh thyme sprig
  • 1 fresh oregano sprig
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 medium carrot chopped
  • 1 celery stalk chopped
  • 10½ to 16 ounces ground beef chuck
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed
  • 1/3 cup red wine whatever you’re having with dinner
  • 1 cup chopped or crushed tomatoes
  • ½ cup tomato puree
  • ½ cup water for electric pressure cooker only

Instructions
 

  • Melt butter and olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
  • Add chopped yellow onion, thyme, oregano sprigs, salt, and pepper; sweat until onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
  • Add chopped carrot and celery; continue to sauté until softened, another 5-7 minutes.
  • Increase heat to medium-high. Add ground beef chuck and brown thoroughly, breaking it apart with a spoon, until no pink remains. Drain any excess fat.
  • Stir in crushed garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  • Pour in red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze and release browned bits. Simmer until the wine is almost fully reduced.
  • Add chopped or crushed tomatoes and tomato puree. Stir to combine all ingredients.
  • Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for at least 60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Remove and discard the thyme and oregano sprigs.
  • Taste the ragù and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed before serving.

Notes

For a truly robust ragù, ensure a deep caramelization of your mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery) before introducing the meat; this builds essential aromatic depth. Achieving a rich brown crust on the ground beef is crucial for developing umami through the Maillard reaction. Deglaze thoroughly with red wine, scraping up all the 'fond' to incorporate maximum flavor. While 60 minutes yields a good basic sauce, extending the simmer to 2-3 hours over low heat will result in a more tender meat and profoundly complex flavor profile. Always taste and adjust seasoning before serving, as the flavors concentrate.