Instant Pot Sunday Sauce (Meat Sauce)

By: Lou • In: Entrees, Instant Pot • Cuisine: Italian

This is another recipe that I found a while ago and just never got around to making.

Recently I had been thinking about making Bolognese Sauce again. Our go-to Bolognese is Anne Burrell’s (sorry Mom). Her recipe can be found here: Pasta Bolognese by Anne Burrell

I remembered that I had this Instant Pot Sunday Sauce recipe saved and decided to try it instead. I made the recipe as-is and was honestly not overwhelmed by it. It was good….. but not great. I think there is some potential here, so I decided to post the recipe anyway. The next time I make it, however, I will use our own recipe for the (Meatballs, and I will either cook the sausage separately and have it on the side or just omit the sausage. I thought the sausage overwhelmed the rest of the dish when everything was cooked together.

Here is a link to the original recipe.

Instant Pot Sunday Sauce

Update – 2023-08-20

I made this again today with a few changes. First, I did not make any sausage with it. As I suspected, the dish tasted much better without the sausage overpowering the other flavors. I also didn’t bother making homemade meatballs from scratch. I used about a pound or so of Costco’s Frozen Italian Meatballs (thawed) instead. They aren’t as good as our homemade meatballs but they are tasty, and their small size is suitable for this dish.

Overall this second attempt was much better. I plan to continue to tweak it before I update the recipe officially. One issue that we had was that the sauce was a bit watery.

For my next attempt, I am considering:

  • Increasing the amount of red wine to 1 cup
  • Increasing the amount of tomato paste to thicken the sauce
  • Using crushed tomatoes instead of whole peeled tomatoes
  • Using a more tender cut of beef

Ingredients

For the Sauce

  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 bone-in beef short ribs Short Ribs (about 2 lbs)
  • 2 Pork Ribs (Country-Style, about 1 lb)
  • 1 Onion (large, diced)
  • 6 cloves Garlic (minced)
  • 1/2 cup Tomato Paste
  • 1/2 cup Red Wine (dry)
  • 28 ounce can Whole Peeled Tomatoes
  • 4 links Italian Sausage (sweet or hot)
  • to taste Kosher Salt
  • to taste Black Pepper
  • to taste Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

For the Meatballs

  • 1 lb Ground Beef
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese (grated)
  • 1/4 cup Bread Crumbs (plain)
  • 1/4 cup Milk
  • 1/4 cup Parsley (chopped, flat-leaf)
  • 2 cloves Garlic (grated or minced)
  • 1 Egg (large)
  • to taste Kosher Salt
  • to taste Black Pepper

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1: 

For the sauce: Add the oil to a 6-quart Instant Pot® and set to Saute (see Cook’s Note). Add the short ribs and brown well. Transfer to a plate, then add the pork ribs and brown well. Transfer to a plate. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the onions are golden and the garlic is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir well to coat all the onions. Pour in the wine and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil and let cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

Step 2:

Stir in the tomatoes, then add the beef, pork, sausages, 1 tablespoon salt, several grinds of black pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes if using.

Step 3:

Follow the manufacturer’s guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Set to pressure cook on manual high setting for 50 minutes.

Step 4:

For the meatballs: Meanwhile, combine the sirloin, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, milk, parsley, garlic, egg, some salt and a few grinds of pepper in a medium bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon. Form into 1- to 2-inch balls.

Step 5:

After the pressure cook cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer’s guide for quick release and wait until the quick release cycle is complete. Be careful of any remaining steam and unlock and remove the lid.

Step 6:

Carefully remove the beef, pork and sausage. Skim any excess fat from the sauce and discard. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard any bones and excess fat from the meat. Chop the meat and sausage into bite-size pieces. Return the meat to the sauce and add the meatballs to the pot. Seal the pot and cook at manual high pressure for 5 minutes.

Step 7:

After the pressure cook cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer’s guide for quick release and wait until the quick release cycle is complete. Be careful of any remaining steam and unlock and remove the lid. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over pasta or polenta.

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

More In This Category

Easy Chicken Stir Fry with Ginger

Easy Chicken Stir Fry with Ginger

This recipe has become a staple in our regular rotation over the last few years.  It is light, healthy, and delicious!  We typically double the original recipe and add sugar snap peas at the end of the cooking. The original recipe can be found here:...

read more
Pasta Bolognese – Anne Burrell

Pasta Bolognese – Anne Burrell

If you aren't familiar with Anne, she was a legendary chef who appeared regularly on the Food Network for 20 years.  We made her Pasta Bolognese recipe many years ago and loved it.  It is so packed with flavor that it has become my favorite bolognese sauce.  If you...

read more
Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

If you are looking for old-school American comfort food then look no further.  There is nothing like coming home after a long day of work, with the aroma of slow-cooked beef and vegetables filling the house.   This recipe is easy to make, and most of it can be done...

read more