Tender beef brisket, pork ribs, and slices of cured pork melt together with tomato to make a delicious ragu. Heavy in tomato and meaty flavor and slow simmered to perfection, this ragu flavorfully dresses pasta or polenta. This recipe makes a BIG portion, but no worries, as leftovers can be frozen and enjoyed long into the future.

Preparation List for Neapolitan Brisket and Pork Ragu:

Servings: 10-12
Active Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs(1400g) beef brisket with most fat removed, cut into small cubes (1 inch/2.5cm length or so)
- 1 lb(450g) cross cut pork ribs cut between each pair of bones
- 24 ounces(700ml) tomato passata
- 1/3 cup(80ml) olive oil
- 1 medium white onion chopped fine
- 10 ounces(280g) thin sliced prosciutto diced
- 4 ounces thin sliced pancetta diced
- 1 cup(240ml) full bodied red wine
- 4 ounces(110g) tomato paste with 2 tablespoons(30ml) water mixed in
- Black pepper
- Pasta or Polenta or Lasagna plus Parmesan/Pecorino cheese for serving

Neapolitan Brisket and Pork Ragu Recipe

Prepare Meat and Onion Base. Heat a large heavy bottomed pot (such as a Dutch oven) over medium low heat. Add 1/3 cup(80ml) olive oil to the pot followed by the 3 pounds(1400g) of beef brisket cubes, the 1 lb(450g) of pork rib cubes, the finely chopped onion, 10 ounces(280g) diced prosciutto, and 4 ounces(110g) diced pancetta. Add a cup(240ml) of full-bodies red wine to the pot.

Slow Cook Meat and Onion Base. Keep the heat on medium low and cook for 2 hours, stirring every 20 mins or so. See the expected progression in the pictures below. The bottom right photo below shows what the mixture should look like after 2 hours. Onions have nearly disappeared and the meats have softened significantly.

Adding Tomato Paste. Raise heat to medium. Add the mixture of 4 ounces(110g) of tomato paste with 2 tablespoons(30ml)water to the pot and a good amount of fresh cracked black pepper and stir. Cook for 15 minutes then add 8 ounces(240ml) of tomato puree to the the pot, stir, and cook for 15 minutes. Add 8 more ounces(240ml) of tomato puree and stir and cook for 15 minutes. One last time, add the last 8 ounces(240ml) of tomato puree to the pot and cook for another 15 minutes. The finished ragu should look like the lower picture below.

Serve. Serve with cooked pasta, polenta, or as dressing for lasagna. Add grated parmesan or pecorino for extra joy! Note that we do not add any salt in the recipe since prosciutto and pancetta are already salty. If you prefer a saltier flavor, you can add more salt while serving. Ragu also freezes very well with almost no loss in quality.