Ragu Napoletano is a hearty meat sauce made with beef, pork, and Italian sausage that's slowly simmered with tomatoes, herbs, and seasonings, creating a rich and flavorful meat sauce that the whole family will love.
3 -4poundspork spare ribscut into 4 sections (Pork Shoulder can be substituted for ribs)
2poundsbeef chuckcut into 2 inch chunks
1poundmild Italian sausage meat removed from casing
2cupsonionsmall dice
1cupcarrotpeeled and small dice
3tablespoonsgarlicfinely minced
¼teaspoonred pepper flakes
1teaspoondried oregano
2teaspoonsalt
½teaspoonblack pepper
2cupsdry red wine
84 ouncespeeled whole tomatoes in juiceI used D.O.P. San Marzano- crushed by hand
3tablespoonsfresh basilchopped
romano cheese for serving
fresh Italian parsleyfinely chopped for garnish
Instructions
Pat dry the ribs and beef chuck then season heavily with salt and black pepper
Place a large skillet or large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to the hot pan.
Carefully place the ribs in the pan and allow them to sear on each side for 3-4 minutes. After searing both sides remove the ribs from the pot and set them aside until needed.
Add the beef chuck pieces and sausage meat to the pan and sear on both sides for 3-4 minutes. Break up the sausage using a wire whip or spoon. Break up the sausage using a wire whip or spoon.
Add the onions, carrots and garlic to the pan and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the red wine to the pan to deglaze the pan and loosen all the tasty bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Add the ribs back to the pan, along with the tomatoes and seasonings. Mix together enough to mix the seasonings into the sauce and cover all the meat.
Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to simmer and cover. Continue simmering for 3-4 hours depending upon how much time you have. Stir the mixture occasionally during the simmering process, but don't disturb or open the pot often.
Remove the ribs from the pot and after allowing them to cool slightly, remove the bones, cartilage and any other items that don't belong in the sauce.Return the meat to the pot.
Add the basil to the sauce and mix it into the sauce. Taste the sauce and reseason as needed with salt and pepper.
Serve the ragu over pappardelle, tagliatelle or rigitoni.
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or fresh chopped basil. Serve the pasta with grated romano or parmesan cheese.