Chef-Style Ragu

Ingredients

Before you start

• •
  Dice pork belly into small pieces
• •
  Dice pancetta into small pieces
• •
  Finely dice onion, carrots, and celery
• •
  Finely grate garlic cloves
• •
  Measure out tomato purée, passata, red wine, and stock
• •
  Preheat oven to 120°C

Instructions

1. 1.
   Add olive oil and pancetta to a heavy pot over low heat and slowly render the fat until the fat is released
2. 2.
   Add onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt and sweat gently until soft, pale, and sweet with no colour
3. 3.
   Grate in the garlic and cook for the final 1–2 minutes, then remove the soffritto and set aside▶2:00
4. 4.
   Return the pot to high heat with a little neutral oil, add the beef mince breaking it up, and cook hot to drive off all moisture
5. 5.
   Once dry, lower the heat slightly and caramelise the beef slowly until deeply browned, scraping the fond from the bottom of the pot regularly
6. 6.
   Add the pork belly to the pot and gently warm through without heavy browning
7. 7.
   Stir in the tomato purée and cook until it darkens and caramelises
8. 8.
   Lower the heat and add the first portion of milk, allowing it to fully absorb into the meat
9. 9.
   Deglaze with red wine and reduce by about half, scraping the pan clean
10. 10.
    Return the soffritto to the pot, then add passata, stock, Parmesan rind, bay leaves, and a pinch of nutmeg
11. 11.
    Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook in the oven at 120°C for 4½ hours, stirring occasionally
12. 12.
    While the ragu cooks, make a gastrique by combining the balsamic vinegar and sugar in a small pan and boiling briefly until lightly thickened
13. 13.
    Once cooked, remove and discard the bay leaves and Parmesan rind
14. 14.
    Finish the ragu with a splash of milk, cold butter stirred in for gloss, and the gastrique added gradually to balance acidity, then season to taste