Ragù alla Bolognese

Pancetta, a fine-cut soffritto, beef, and pork slowly become a cohesive ragù with restrained tomato, milk, wine, and stock.

260 min

8 half-cup sauce portions

A shallow bowl holds cohesive red-brown Bolognese ragù with finely softened vegetables.

Ingredients

4 oz pancetta, finely diced

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, very finely diced

1 medium carrot, very finely diced

1 celery rib, very finely diced

1 lb ground beef, preferably 80% lean

1 lb ground pork

1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup whole milk

1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 cup tomato passata

1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef stock, divided

1 dried bay leaf

Equipment

Heavy Dutch oven · Wooden spoon · Chef's knife · Cutting board

Protect the slow simmer

Use the lowest burner setting and stir along the pot bottom every 20 minutes; steady bubbling can scorch the meat and vegetables.

Cool promptly

For storage, divide the finished ragù into shallow containers so it cools quickly, then refrigerate or freeze.

Soften the base

01. Cut onion, carrot, and celery into a uniform 1/8-inch dice so they soften evenly into the sauce.

02. Render pancetta with olive oil over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, until lightly golden and the fat has released.

03. Add the vegetables and cook low for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally; stop when they are very soft and sweet, before they brown.

Brown and deglaze

04. Add beef, pork, salt, and pepper; break the meat into small pieces and cook until its liquid is gone and browned bits form. This keeps the meat from steaming.

05. Add wine and scrape the bottom; simmer until nearly dry and the sharp aroma fades before adding dairy.

Add dairy and tomato

06. Stir in milk and nutmeg at a gentle simmer until the milk is mostly absorbed. The meat should look creamy rather than wet.

07. Cook tomato paste for 1 minute, then add passata, 1 cup stock, and bay; reserve the last 1/2 cup stock for a drying pot.

Simmer and finish

08. Partially cover and simmer at the lowest heat for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring and scraping every 20 minutes; add reserved stock 2 tablespoons at a time only if needed.

09. Remove bay when the meat is tender. The finished ragù should be cohesive and spoon-coating, with no watery tomato liquid.