How to Make Italian Sunday Sauce: Ragù alla Napoletana

How to Make Italian Sunday Sauce: Ragù alla Napoletana Sundays in a lot of Italian households are all about the sauce. Every family has their own recipe, but it’s all about the process of letting it cook. Today I’m showing you how to make Ragù alla Napoletana, a sauce where the meat dictates the flavor and the meat cooks the sauce. Learn how to make the classic Ragù alla Napoletana. Unlike a Bolognese which uses ground meat, a true Neapolitan Ragù is a labor of love made with large cuts of beef and pork. As I always say: You don’t cook this sauce; the meat cooks this sauce. The meat surrenders its fat and flavor into the tomatoes over four hours, creating something special. It’s dark, it’s rich, and it’s the heart of a true Italian Sunday in Naples. The Secrets to Success: The Lard (Strutto): Using lard instead of oil gives the sauce an incomparable silkiness and depth. The "Pippiare": This is the Neapolitan word for the sound the sauce makes as it bubbles—a very low, slow simmer that creates that iconic "oil on top" finish. Ingredients: The Meats: 1.5 lbs Beef Chuck Roast (cut into fist size chunks) 1.5 lbs Beef Short Ribs 4 Pork Ribs 3 Sweet Italian Sausages (cut in half) The Sauce Base: 3 jars (24 oz) Tomato Passata 2 tbsp Tomato Paste 1 Yellow Onion, chopped 1/2 cup Dry Red Wine 1 tbsp Lard (Strutto) Salt & Black Pepper (to taste) Water (for rinsing the jars) Instructions: 1. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, melt the lard. Add the meat in small batches to allow the pan to retain its heat. 2. Add the chopped onion to the pot. Sauté until translucent and golden. 3. Pour in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to release the fond. Allow the alcohol to evaporate completely. 4. Stir in the tomato paste. Mix it well and let it cook for a minute to deepen the color. 5. Pour in the 3 jars of passata. Add a little water to each jar, shake it up to get every bit of sauce, and add it to the pot. 6. Add the halved sausages into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. 7. Bring to a simmer, then drop the heat to the lowest setting. Cover the lid 3/4 of the way. Let it cook for 4 hours. Stir a few times to make sure nothing sticks. 8. You are looking for a deep, dark mahogany color and a thin layer of flavorful oil resting on the top. The Authentic Experience: For the full experience, serve this in two distinct courses: The Primo: Boil your pasta (or Ziti/Paccheri/Rigatoni) until al dente. Take a separate pan, add several ladles of the Ragù, and toss the pasta directly in the sauce to bring it all together. The Secondo: Serve the fall-apart meat and sausages on a separate platter as your main course. ⭐ Instructions: 0:00 The Meaning of Ragù alla Napoletana 0:35 Every Family has their version 1:10 Searing the meat 2:15 Why we don't crowd the pan 3:40 Deglazing the flavor 4:20 "The Meat Cooks the Sauce" 5:50 Adding the Passata and Sausages 7:10 The 4-Hour Simmer (Pippiare) 8:05 Identifying the "Oil on Top" 8:45 Finishing the Rigatoni in the Pan 9:30 The Meat Platter (Secondo) 10:15 Sunday Dinner with Giovanni Why You’ll Love This: ✅ Authentic Technique: No shortcuts. This is the real-deal Sunday Sauce. ✅ Fall-Apart Meat: After 4 hours, the beef and pork become incredibly tender and infused with tomato. ✅ The Soul of Naples: This isn’t just a recipe; it’s the centerpiece of an Italian Sunday that brings the whole family to the table. 💬Comment Below: Every family has their own way of doing it! How does your family make their Sunday sauce? Tell me your traditions in the comments! 👇 Follow Giovanni: ▶️ YOUTUBE    / @giovannisiracusaa   ▶️ INSTAGRAM   / giovannisiracusaa   ▶️ FACEBOOK   / giovannisiracusaa   ▶️ TIKTOK   / giovannisiracusaa   🍳Tools Used in this Video (links may earn commission). Pots & Pans: https://rstr.co/caraway/43648 10% off Code: UNPEZZODITALIA10 Induction Cooktop: https://amzn.to/4sA3pr1 #italianfood #recipe #familydinner