How Long to Cook Bolognese Sauce (Beef & Pork, Slow Braise) in the instant pot
Specification: 1 lb ground beef (80/20), 1 lb ground pork, browned in batches on Sauté with soffritto (1 diced onion, 2 diced carrots, 2 diced celery ribs); 1 cup dry white wine reduced almost to dry; 1 cup whole milk simmered until absorbed; 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp salt; deglazed thoroughly before locking the lid
3-Step Execution Protocol
Add bolognese sauce (beef & pork, slow braise) (1 lb ground beef (80/20), 1 lb ground pork, browned in batches on Sauté with soffritto (1 diced onion, 2 diced carrots, 2 diced celery ribs); 1 cup dry white wine reduced almost to dry; 1 cup whole milk simmered until absorbed; 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp salt; deglazed thoroughly before locking the lid) to the Instant Pot inner pot. Seal the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Select High Pressure (10.2–11.6 psi) for 30 mins High Pressure + 15 mins Natural Release.
Cook at High Pressure (10.2–11.6 psi) for 30 mins High Pressure + 15 mins Natural Release.
The sauce is a rich mahogany rather than bright tomato red; individual grains of meat have collapsed into the tomato base with no visible clumps; fat has separated into a thin sheen on top (a good sign, not a bad one — skim it or stir it back in). Confirm internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C) — floor for ground meat; sauce sits at 212°F for 30 mins under pressure. Rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Serious Eats "The Best Pressure Cooker Bolognese Sauce" (Daniel Gritzer, 2017 — 30-minute HP + 15-min NPR benchmark; wine-then-milk reduction sequence for classical Bolognese emulsion); USDA FSIS "Ground Beef and Food Safety" 160°F safe minimum for ground meat (readily exceeded during the 30-min pressurised braise at 212°F chamber temperature); probe verification with ThermoWorks Thermapen One.