Homemade Ragù alla Bolognese Recipe
This incredible Italian homemade Bolognese Sauce Recipe is slow-cooked with tomatoes and herbs for an unbelievable pasta or lasagna sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Pounds finely minced beef chuck
- 2 pounds finely minced pork belly
- 2 large peeled finely minced yellow onions
- 3 finely minced carrots
- 8 finely minced ribs of celery
- 4 finely minced cloves of garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cloves
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 2 –28-ounce cans hand crushed whole San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups beef stock
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, optional
- coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large pot or rondeau over high heat and heat it until it begins to smoke lightly.
- Add in the beef spread it out around the pan, and sear for 2 minutes.
- Stir the beef and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until it is finished cooking. Transfer it to a large bowl.
- Place the pork into the pan over high heat spread it out, and sear for 2 minutes.
- Stir the pork, turn the heat to medium-low, and render the fat while occasionally stirring. This usually takes about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon remove the pork leaving the rendered fat in the pot, and set it in the bowl with the cooked minced beef.
- Add onions and caramelize on low heat for 45 to 60 minutes while occasionally stirring. They will be browned, tender, and sweet.
- Pour in the carrots and celery, season with salt and pepper, and sauté over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes or until tender but still slightly firm on the outside.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 to 45 seconds or until fragrant.
- Mix back in the cooked beef and pork, along with the bay leaves and cloves.
- Deglaze with red wine, turn the heat high, and frequently stir until the wine is almost gone and absorbed, or au sec.
- Add in the tomatoes and beef stock and stir to combine. Place on a lid and simmer over low heat for 3 hours. Stir every 45 to 60 minutes. It should be a thick rich sauce at this point.
- Pour in the milk and mix to combine.
- Add in optional rosemary sprig, and lightly season with salt and pepper. Cook uncovered over low heat for 60-90 minutes. It will have a rich creaminess to it when it’s finished.
- Cook the pasta according to its instructions and gently mix in a pan or bowl with some of the bolognese sauce using a rubber spatula.
- Serve with a generous garnish of freshly grated parmigiano Reggiano.
Notes
Make-Ahead: For freshness, you can make this up to 2 days before serving it. Please keep it in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving it and reheat it until hot in a pot.
How to Store: To store the Bolognese sauce, cool it in an ice bath in your sink or transfer it to a refrigerator and cool it uncovered until it is cold about 3-4 hours. Cover it and keep it in there for up to 5 days. This will also freeze well and be covered for up to 3 months. Thaw for 1 day in the refrigerator before reheating.
How to Reheat: Add your desired amount of Bolognese to a medium-sized pot and cook over low heat until hot.
Feel free to use all beef or all pork if you do not want to use the combination.
You can finely mince the onions, celery, or carrots in a food processor instead of chopping by hand.
Any shape of pasta is great to serve with this.
Other great red wines to use are Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. A white wine I also like to cook with is chardonnay.
You will need a 2 to 2 ½ gallon stainless steel pot or Dutch oven.
The amount of minced onions should total around 3 cups. In addition, the amount of minced carrots and celery will be about 2 cups each. It is totally fine if it’s off by a few tablespoons in either direction. It will not impact the final sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 328kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 12gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 148mgPotassium: 401mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1425IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 63mgIron: 1mg