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bolognese meat sauce on tagliatelle pasta twirled on fork

Bolognese-Style Meat Sauce

  • Author: Sarah John
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 4 hours and 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 4.5 hours
  • Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x

Description

A slow-simmered hearty pasta sauce packed with flavor!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 tablespoons bacon grease or butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion, minced
  • 1 carrot, minced
  • 1 stalk of celery minced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seed
  • 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 can whole tomatoes in their juices, crushed by hand
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup chicken or beef stock
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 pound cooked pasta
  • Freshly grated parmesan or pecorino and chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a dutch oven or large heavy pot. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook over medium heat for 7 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper, and fennel seed and cook for 2 minutes more. Next, add ground beef and salt. Crumble it and cook until the meat has lost its raw pink color. 
  • Add the wine and turn up the heat to medium-high. Simmer until the wine has evaporated.
  • Add the tomato paste, hand-crushed tomatoes, oregano, bay, and stock. Simmer uncovered over low heat for 3 hours. Be sure to stir every 20 to 30 minutes to prevent sticking. After the sauce has simmered the fat will have separated and formed a layer on the top.  You can skim some off the surface but be sure to leave a bit behind for flavor. 
  • Stir in milk and simmer for 30 to 60 minutes more.
  • Serve with a wide noodle and garnish with parsley and cheese.