Baby's First Bolognese

A classic Italian pasta sauce, bolognese is one of those things that everyone has an opinion about. Some only do beef, some add pancetta and some swear by a touch of cinnamon and even the most serious add actual gold to the pot. Regardless the sauce is so versatile and just perfect to have around in the off chance you’re stuck in your house for an indefinite amount of time and need to eat your feelings. It’s easy to freeze, great to dip your crazy bread in and is ideal for lasagna.

SERVES: 4 meals

COOKS IN: 2-4 hours

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb of grass-fed ground beef

• 4 chorizo or Italian sausages (take them out of their cases)

• ½ cup of grass-fed butter

• 1 can of tomato paste (turns out to about a 1 cup of tomato paste)

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped

• 2 carrots, finely chopped

• 1 cup of white wine

• Pinch of nutmeg

• Pinch of cinnamon or just chuck in a small piece of cinnamon bark

• 2 cups chicken brodo or stock

• 1 cup whole milk

• Pinch of salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Chop all veggies finely and set aside in a bowl.

2. In a non-stick pan, start frying the ground beef and pork sausages on medium-high heat. As it fries, break up the meat into smaller pieces. You really want the meat to brown up, so initially, you will see all the water content in the meat start to boil out.

3. Next stir in the butter while the water is still boiling out, and keep breaking the meat up. You’re going to brown this meat until you start to hear a kind of snap, crackle and pop. This means the water moisture is gone and now the fat is starting to render and fry up.

4. Keep frying until all the meat is dark brown. This is taste town.

5. Add in the chopped veggies, mix in and keep frying.

6. Deglaze with white wine.

7. Next, add the tomato paste and milk, turn down to low heat and keep stirring.

8. Simmer on low heat for a couple of hours.

9. Add the chicken brodo / broth whenever the bolognese looks too thick. This will help to keep it loose so you can cook it down and soften the meat.

10. Add a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg, keep simmering.

11. The bolognese is ready when each kernel of meat is soft and tender.

12. Finish with salt and pepper to taste.