How to Make Bolognese Sauce

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How to Make Bolognese Sauce

Witty Lizzy

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Step 1 of 30

Dice some onion, celery and carrots. Chop mushrooms and put in a pan with very little oil. Let them sweat and then caramelize. This could take 20 minutes.

Step 2 of 30

In the meantime, I've scored some garden tomatoes to blanch. I normally use canned San Marzano tomatoes but this time I did a mix.

Step 3 of 30

Blanch them in boiling water for 30 seconds

Step 4 of 30

Remove them from the boiling water and peel the skin. Chop them in cubes and reserve.

Step 5 of 30

So now u see the vegetables have darkened and caramelized.

Step 6 of 30

Add some red wine to deglaze and let it simmer.

Step 7 of 30

Add oil to a cast iron pan. Let it get hot !

Step 8 of 30

I will braise this piece of beef with bone (will give extra flavor to the sauce).

Step 9 of 30

Both sides.

Step 10 of 30

Reserve.

Step 11 of 30

Add your ground meat. I use a mixture of beef, pork and veal.

Step 12 of 30

Salt

Step 13 of 30

Don't touch the meat unti it creates a nice golden crust underneath. This is what gives flavor ! You need high heat to achieve this. I wouldn't recommend a non stick pan for that reason.

Step 14 of 30

Add some chopped garlic.

Step 15 of 30

Let the ground meat fry in its own oils until you see the caramelized stick at the bottom of the pan.

Step 16 of 30

Deglaze with red wine. A good 1.5 cup.

Step 17 of 30

Add your caramelized veggies.

Step 18 of 30

Tomato paste.

Step 19 of 30

Chopped tomatoes

Step 20 of 30

And canned tomatoes. Or puréed tomatoes.

Step 21 of 30

Chicken broth.

Step 22 of 30

And about a cup of milk.

Step 23 of 30

I keep the rinds of parmiggiano and just shove in the sauce for extra flavor.

Step 24 of 30

Oregano, bay leaves

Step 25 of 30

Don't forget the piece of braised meat! With bone !

Step 26 of 30

Let it simmer for 2 hours

Step 27 of 30

1 hour later

Step 28 of 30

2 hours later ! It has reduced down and ready to go!

Step 29 of 30

When you are ready to serve, add some fresh basil and grated parmiggiano ! You can also adjust the taste of your sauce, adding more salt, pepper, chili flakes, beef broth, herbs, etc.

Step 30 of 30

You're Done

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Witty Lizzy

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Awesome!!!! I used the crockpot....so yummy and lots for the freezer..tks

Cathy Early 8 months ago

I have my Bolognese simmer on low (!) heat for 6-8 hours. E.g. heat it up before going to bed and then again in the morning, at 10, at 12, you get the point.

Andreas Hafner 9 months ago

I'm hungry now. :-)

Charlie Caruana 9 months ago

Just not bad ? Manca qualcosa?

Witty Lizzy (author) 9 months ago

Not bad..cheers from Italy! ✌

Marco Banzato 9 months ago

Thank u

Sue Janeway 9 months ago

Water or chicken broth!

Witty Lizzy (author) 9 months ago

That looks tasty :)but I I don't drink alcohol, what can I substitute the red wine with ?

Sue Janeway 9 months ago

Thanks!

Skiier_lax freak And artist 9 months ago

As for veggie haters, I would dice the veggies in very small cubes. You wouldn't be able to tell the difference !

Witty Lizzy (author) 9 months ago

Traditional recipe asks for milk. I'm not a chef but I believe it can balance the acidity of the tomatoes !

Witty Lizzy (author) 9 months ago

Sorrry typo I'm only 14 hate veggies and meat sauce but that sounds delicious!

Skiier_lax freak And artist 9 months ago

My god that looks good

Elmo K.S 9 months ago

Why do you add the milk? I have never heard of doing that.

Janice Wells 9 months ago

This looks so authentic! I can't wait to try it!!!!!

Kathy Monroe 9 months ago

Excellent job - I'd definitely eat this!!!

Y P 9 months ago

Awesome recipe!

Georgia Phillips 9 months ago

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Do you put yours immediately in an ice bath? I always have and it works great..and it helps to lock in the lycopene and nutrients before you make sauce. Just a tip :) I love the recipe..trying it Friday evening. Thanks!

Jessica Brown 9 months ago

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What could u use instead of red wine? Any suggestions?

Kashif Ahmed 9 months ago

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Looks delicious definitely will try!

Mayra Soto 8 months ago

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How much is that?

Jessica Brown 9 months ago

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Lol. Skip garlic. Funny.

Witty Lizzy (author) 8 months ago

As an italian, I'sure you can skip this...

Maria Laura Spagnoli 8 months ago

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I think this passage also can be skipped...

Maria Laura Spagnoli 8 months ago

Is that a bullion cube? If not how much broth?

Cathy Early 9 months ago

What is the milk for?

Lin Yumin last month

This sauce can be for sure quite good but, please, don't call it "bolognese" (my grandma was from Bologna...)

Maria Laura Spagnoli 8 months ago

Absolutely! And also garlic. Use, instead some chopped onion at the beginning, with the other chopped vegetables like celery and carrots (added mushrooms can be a variant) in some olive oil. You can use some broth, liquid, as a thinner if the meat should become too dry.

Maria Laura Spagnoli 8 months ago

Skip milk in bolognese ?

Witty Lizzy (author) 8 months ago

...and this also...

Maria Laura Spagnoli 8 months ago

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Never seen oregano or bay leaves on bolognese sauce (it's called 'ragù')

Maria Laura Spagnoli 8 months ago

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It's a pity we can't sit together, at the same place, talking and exchanging different opinion in a more extended way. This is the limit of this kind of communication: one must tell the other only few and short phrases, with the risk of 'granitical' statements, when actually they might have been in an easily and more friendly way!

Maria Laura Spagnoli 8 months ago

Maybe you saw only 'american' bolognese sauces. Anyway, I'm only trying to defend the dignity of italian kitchen. Try to give a french receipt called with its name but with some americanisation. You'll get a lot of French 'rebels' claiming for the respect of their 'cuisine'. Nothing against you as individual, I swear!

Maria Laura Spagnoli 8 months ago

Well sorry but all authentic bolognese sauces I see require milk. And I didn't know there was a bolognese police on snap guide.

Witty Lizzy (author) 8 months ago

I answered to this post earlier, about milk. Sorry for upsetting you. Nothing to say if you wouldn't call this sauce "bolognese"...

Maria Laura Spagnoli 8 months ago

But this is my version. If you think I'm spoiling the integrity of bolognese RAGU, then make your own guide. But don't go around commenting every step saying I'm doing this or that wrong. I'm not claiming this is the only recipe or the best.

Witty Lizzy (author) 8 months ago

Spoil ? Thanks for all your "constructive" crticis

Witty Lizzy (author) 8 months ago

Lizzy, I would suggest you not to spoil your great sauce with all these addings! Love

Maria Laura Spagnoli 8 months ago

And don't forget to remove the bone ! Lol

Witty Lizzy (author) 9 months ago

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