Sear

• Clean and pat the brisket dry. Trim off the fat and cut into 6 pieces. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the pan up to medium-high then add oil. Wait for 30 seconds.
• Brown both sides of the brisket until slightly seared (this should take about 3-4 minutes per-side). Remove the brisket and set aside. Depending on the size of the pan; you may need to do this in 2 separate batches to maintain good spacing during cooking.
• In the same pan: add chopped celery, chopped carrots and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add more oil if needed. Add chopped onions, minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add tomato paste and combine with the vegetables.

Cook

• Transfer the vegetables to slow cooker (instant pot or dutch oven pot). Add red wine, unsalted beef stock, crushed tomatoes and combine everything together. Submerge the seared brisket in the red wine sauce. Add bay leaves and fresh thyme. Gently submerge them in the sauce. Place the lid on.
• Slow Cooker - cook on low for 12-14 hours or until the meat is tender. This recipe is low and slow to yield a very tender meat. Alternative to cook on high for 6-7 hours.

  Instant Pot - pressure cook on high for 40 minutes with a natural release (approx. 45-55 min). Note: test the meat for tenderness by stabing center with a fork. If the fork does not easily pierce through the meat, place lid back on and pressure cook for an additional 15 minutes with a natural release. 

  Dutch Oven Pot - preheat the oven to 325°F (162°C). Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 4 hours or until the meat is tender.
• Remove the lid, discard bay leaves and thyme. Transfer the cooked meat to a bowl/plate. Use tongs or 2 forks to shred the meat. Return the meat to the slow cooker, pressure cooker or pot. Mix everything together. Season with salt & pepper.

Serve

• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Then, add dry pasta noodles and cook for 3-4 minutes or follow the packages recommended cook time. Reserve the pasta liquid. Using a dutch oven pan or non-stick pan bring up to a medium heat. Transfer the noodles (from the pot) to the pan and add butter. Add 6-8 cups of ragu and pour 1 ½ cups of reserved pasta water in the pan. Gently toss every together. Cook for several minutes or until the sauce thickens and the ragu has fully coated the pasta.

Top with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese (highly recommended) or Parmesan Cheese, finely chopped fresh parsley & fresh bread. Enjoy!