Big Batch Bolognese Sauce Food

BIG-BATCH BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over med-high heat.
• Add onion, carrot, celery, tomato paste, garlic, and thyme and cook until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 8-10 minutes.
• Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to slow cooker.
• Stir tomatoes in slow cooker.
• Mash bread and heavy cream into paste in large bowl using fork.
• Mix in meatloaf mix, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper using hands.
• Stir meatloaf mixture into slow cooker, breaking up any large pieces.
• Cover and cook until beef is tender, 9-11 hours on LOW or 5-7 hours on HIGH.
• Let sauce settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from surface using large spoon.
• Break up any remaining large pieces of meat with spoon.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Makes enough sauce for 3 lb. pasta.

BEST-EVER BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• In large stock pot, cook beef, onions, carrots & green pepper on medium heat until meat is browned.
• Add mushrooms and garlic. Cook 3 - 5 minutes longer.
• Drain.
• Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT whipping cream.
• Bring to boil.
• Reduce heat; simmer 20 - 30 minutes stirring frequently and breaking up tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon on the side of the pot.
• Stir in cream; heat through.
• Serve over pasta.
• Freezes well.

AUTHENTIC BOLOGNESE SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• Finely chop the onions and garlic, peel and finely chop the carrots and finely chop the celery. For fast chopping, chop coarsely then use a food processor to pulse and finely chop. Set aside.
• Heat a large saucepan. It will need to hold over 5 litres which is about 1 1/3 gallons.
• Add the oil and butter.
• When the oil is hot, add the onion, carrot and celery.
• Turn the heat down a tad so they don't burn.
• Fry until starting to become golden and catch a little on the bottom of the saucepan.
• In the meantime finely chop the bacon. And crush or finely chop the garlic.
• When the onion, carrot and celery are golden add the bacon and garlic and stir well. Continue to cook for a few more minutes.
• Now start adding the beef mince a bit at a time. Stirring well and allow the meat to colour.
• Then add in the pork mince a bit at a time. Repeat the same as the beef mince.
• Once the mince is well cooked add the sausages and pork ribs. You can add other meats as I have mentioned in the Recipe Notes.
• Pour in the wine and allow to boil and simmer for a few minutes.
• Now you can add the remainder of the ingredients - Parmesan rind (if using), passata, tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, potato, herbs (if using) and seasonings.
• Add half of the sugar and you can taste later if the sauce needs more.
• Bring to the boil then lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
• Cover the saucepan and check and stir regularly, You may need to adjust the heat to achieve that sweet spot of a gentle simmer. This is going to be cooking for a long time so a very gentle simmer is what we are looking for here.
• Once you have achieved that perfect simmer, allow to cook for about 4 to 5 hours.
• Check regularly that the sauce is not drying out. If so, add a little boiling water.
• After about two hours of simmering. Taste and adjust the seasoning. You will be surprised at how much salt you need to add and you may need a bit more sugar. Recheck the seasoning towards the end of the cooking time.
• When the sauce is done. Remove the sausage and the ribs. Cut up the sausage finely, shred the meat from the pork ribs and add the sausage and meat back to the sauce. Find the potato pieces and crush against the side of the saucepan with a wooden spoon. Stir thoroughly.
• Allow to cool a little, then transfer to freezer containers for storage in the freezer.
• Don't put the sauce in the freezer when it's hot. Instead refrigerate until cold then freeze.
• If properly stored in the freezer, this sauce will keep for 4 to 6 months.

SLOW-COOKER BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the bacon and mince in batches until browned. Add to your slow cooker.
• Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes, tomato purée, herbs, wine (if using), vinegar, sugar and seasoning to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours, then uncover, turn to High and cook for another hour until thick and saucy.
• Serve with cooked spaghetti and grated or shaved parmesan. To cook this entire recipe on the hob, check out our big-batch Bolognese recipe.