Bolognese Meat Sauce

Submitted by TinaB

"This recipe is one of our kids' favorite sauces, and one that has enough flavor to please the adults in the house as well. This meat sauce is wonderful with short pastas, especially gemelli."

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 15mins
• Ingredients: 15
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons bacon
• 1 carrot, finely sliced
• 1 stalk celery, finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 12 ounces lean ground beef
• salt and pepper
• 2⁄3 cup red wine
• 1⁄2 cup milk
• 1 (14 ounce) can plum tomatoes, chopped, with their juice
• 1 bay leaf
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh thyme leave
• pasta, cooked and drained (6 servings)

directions

1. Heat the butter and oil in a heavy saucepan.
2. Add the onion, and cook over moderate heat for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the bacon and cook until the onion is translucent.
4. Stir in the carrot, celery and garlic.
5. Cook 3-4 minutes more.
6. Add the beef and crumble it into the vegetables with a fork.
7. Stir until the meat loses its red color.
8. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Pour in the wine, raise the heat slightly, and cook until the liquid evaporates, 3-4 minutes.
10. Add the milk and cook until it evaporates.
11. Stir in the tomatoes with their juice, and the herbs.
12. Bring the sauce to a boil.
13. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered for 1 1/2-2 hours, stirring occasionally.
14. Serve over pasta.

Reviews

[Camden's Mom]

This was a really fantastic Bolognese. I followed the recipe closely, but I did use a full pound of hamburger and I added a tablespoon or two of tomato paste before simmering and about 3 drops of black truffle oil right before serving.

 

[Lorena N.]

Mine is still cooking but I felt 14 oz of tomato was not enough. I doubled up!

 

[cookingpompom]

I tripled the bacon and used Italian herbs instead of the thyme, otherwise made as written. This was delicious, thanks for posting!

 

[Tarteausucre]

Used a 28oz can of petite diced tomatoes, not authentic, but I like more tomato sauce than pure beef sauce. Used a little bacon fat from breakfast than oil. Very yummy. Thanks for posting.

 

[Morgan Khan]

This is the best sauce I've ever tried. I tried the ones with more ratings, but they just did not taste italian to me... this one did! I can't eat pork, so I replaced the bacon with a wild mushroom medley (with extra porcini!) so it gave it that smokey taste still. Thanks a million!