Bolognese Meat Sauce

Recipe from Kathy Casey, Heart of Washington chef.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 50 mins
• Yields: 12 Cups

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  lb  pork butt
• 3⁄4 cup  diced celery
• 3⁄4 cup  diced carrot
• 2  tablespoons garlic
• 1⁄4 teaspoon rosemary
• 1  teaspoon basil
• 1 1⁄2 cups  washington red wine
• 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
• 3⁄4 cup  whole milk
• 1  lb beef chuck
• 1  cup  diced onion
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped mushroom
• 1⁄2 cup  diced green pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  red chili pepper flakes
• 1  teaspoon oregano
• 1⁄2 teaspoon thyme
• 2  cups beef broth
• 2 (28 ounce) cans red pear tomatoes, in juice

Directions

1. Warm olive oil in large pot over high heat.
2. Add the beef chuck and pork butt, cut into 1" chunks.
3. Brown the meat on all sides, cooking about 5 minutes.
4. If you don't have a large enough pot, brown the meat in batches.
5. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.
6. Add onion to the pot and cook for 1 minute.
7. Then add the celery, mushrooms, carrots and green peppers.
8. Cook for a couple of minutes until the vegetables start getting soft.
9. Add the garlic, red chili flakes, rosemary, oregano, basil and thyme.
10. Add the red wine.
11. A full bodied wine like Cabernet Sauvignon works best.
12. Bring the wine to a boil and let it reduce for 2 minutes.
13. Add the browned meat back into the pot, along with the tomato baste and beef broth.
14. Add the pear tomatoes with their juice.
15. Reduce the heat to medium low to low and simmer for 2 hours, stirring often.
16. The meat should be very tender and the sauce very thick.
17. After 2 hours of simmering, break apart the meat with a spoon and add the milk.
18. Cook for 5 more minutes.
19. Season with salt if necessary.
20. Makes 12 cups, but the extra sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months.
21. Serve over your favorite pasta.