Best Slow Cooked Bolognese Sauce

Ian Palmer

When cooked over a low temperature for several hours, something magical happens to tomatoes, red wine, ground beef, and a little milk or heavy cream. Their flavors meld into an irresistible sauce that's more than worth the afternoon spent letting it burble on the stove. Serve it over spaghetti, or use it to make our delicious lasagna bolognese.

Yields: 7 cups

Prep Time: 0 hours 50 mins

Total Time: 4 hours 50 mins

strips bacon, chopped

medium onion, chopped

carrot, chopped

rib celery, chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 lb.

80% lean ground beef

cloves garlic, chopped

1 c.

dry red wine

3/4 c.

heavy cream or whole milk

(28-ounce) can whole-peeled tomatoes, tomatoes broken into pieces

bay leaves

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Cook bacon in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat until crispy, 5 to 6 minutes. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon and stirring occasionally, until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine and bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until liquid is reduced by half, 14 to 16 minutes.
Stir in cream and return to a simmer. Stir in tomatoes and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer until thickened, 3 to 4 hours. (Check on sauce around 2 hours, and if it looks too dry, add 1/2 cup water.) Discard bay leaves and season with salt and pepper.

Christopher Michel Chris is the Senior Food & Garden Editor at Country Living, where he covers all things edible or growable.

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