How to Make Ragù Bolognese (Northern Italia Meat Sauce)

By J. Kenji López-Alt · 180 min

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F with the rack in the lower-middle position. Pour the stock into a medium bowl or 1-quart liquid measure, sprinkle the gelatin over it and set aside. Puree the canned tomatoes until smooth, and puree the chicken livers until smooth.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add the beef, pork and lamb, season with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking up the meat, until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the pureed chicken livers.
3. While the meat cooks, heat the butter and pancetta in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, until most of the fat has rendered but nothing has browned, about 8 minutes. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, sage and half the parsley and cook, stirring, until very soft but not browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer everything to the Dutch oven.
4. Return the Dutch oven to high heat and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.
5. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until mostly evaporated. Add the reserved stock, tomatoes, milk and bay leaves, and season lightly with salt and pepper.
6. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then transfer the uncovered pot to the oven. Cook, stirring and scraping the sides occasionally, for 3 to 4 hours, until the liquid is almost fully reduced and the sauce is thick and rich under a heavy layer of fat. If it is still watery or no thick fat layer has formed after 4 hours, finish on the stovetop at a brisk simmer, stirring often.
7. Skim off most of the fat, leaving about 1 cup in total (skim it all off, then add back 1 cup).
8. Stir in the cream, Parmesan, fish sauce and remaining parsley. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly to emulsify, then season to taste with salt and pepper. The sauce can be cooled and refrigerated in sealed containers for up to 1 week.
9. To serve, heat the sauce in a large pot until just simmering. Cook the pasta in well-salted water until just barely al dente, then drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot with just enough sauce to coat it, plus some cooking water. Toss over high heat for about 30 seconds until the sauce is thick and clings to the pasta. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan on th

Summarized from J. Kenji López-Alt's video. Watch it for the details.

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