# Restaurant Ragu

A technique-driven ragu recipe using French and European cooking principles to create a deeper, richer, and more complete meat-based sauce.

- Total time: 270 min
- Cuisine: Italian
- Category: Sauce & Condiment
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 1 kg Beef Mince
- 400 g Pork Belly, Diced
- 100 g Pancetta, Diced
- 200 g Onion, Finely Diced
- 150 g Carrots, Finely Diced
- 150 g Celery, Finely Diced
- 1 Garlic Cloves, Grated
- 125 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 200 ml Red Wine
- 80 g Tomato Paste
- 400 g Passata
- 150 ml Whole Milk
- 500 ml Chicken Stock
- 1 Parmesan Rind
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 Pinch Nutmeg
- 50 g Cold Butter
- 100 g Sugar
- 50 g Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 Pinch Salt

## Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil over a low heat. Add celery, onion, carrot, and pancetta.
2. Sweat the vegetables and pancetta on a low heat for 20-25 minutes until soft with no color.
3. Grate in a few cloves of garlic and cook for a couple of minutes until heated through and amalgamated with the other vegetables.
4. Remove the soffritto from the pot and set aside.
5. Raise the heat to medium-high in the same pan. Add a touch of neutral oil.
6. Place the beef mince into the hot pan in thin layers, allowing each layer to brown before stirring.
7. Keep the heat high initially to release water content and start caramelization quickly, breaking up clumps of mince with a wooden spoon.
8. Once the water evaporates and the mince lightly colors, turn the heat down and slowly caramelize the meat to a dark brown, scraping the fond from the bottom of the pan regularly.
9. Once the beef is deeply browned, add the diced pork belly and gently mix through on a low heat, allowing it to soften and render some fat.
10. Add the tomato paste and caramelize until it reaches a deep red-brown color.
11. Turn the heat down and add the milk, allowing it to be absorbed by the meat to soften the fibers and tenderize.
12. Once the milk has reduced and been absorbed, add the red wine and turn the heat up slightly to reduce the wine by 50%, scraping the bottom of the pan to dissolve the fond.
13. Add the reserved soffritto back into the mixture.
14. Add the tomato passata, mix through, and keep on a nice low heat.
15. Add the parmesan rind, bay leaves, and a pinch of nutmeg.
16. Top up with chicken stock or beef stock.
17. Scrape down all the sides of the pot and bring the ragu to a simmer on the stove.
18. Place the lid on the pot and cook in a low oven at 120°C for about 4 and a half hours.
19. Remove the bay leaf and Parmesan rind.
20. Remove from heat and mix in cold butter.

## Equipment

- Pan
- Wooden spoon
- Grater
- Oven
- Lid

## Tips

- Season throughout the cooking process for a more rounded flavor.
- Caramelize soffritto until soft and sweet, not dark, to accentuate sweetness and avoid bitterness.
- Break up beef mince in the pan to achieve maximum surface area for flavor.
- Deep caramelization of meat is crucial for 80% of the ragu's flavor.
- Add milk at the beginning to soften and tenderize meat fibers.
- Reduce red wine by 50% to bring flavors together and deglaze the pan.
- Use parmesan rinds for natural MSG and umami.
- Add a small amount of nutmeg to round out the sauce without adding spice.
- Cook ragu in a low oven for more even and slower cooking.

## Source

- Original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xT57w8ZS8U
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/f2957411-6145-424a-b44c-fb341ebebc0a
- Extracted: 2026-01-06

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt