The Best Slow-Cooked Bolognese Sauce Recipe

🥘 Ingredients

• Parmesan cheese
  3 oz
• bay leaves
  2
• carrots (chopped)
  2
• celery (chopped)
  4 ribs
• chicken livers
  8 oz
• chicken stock
  4 c
• extra-virgin olive oil
  4 tbsp
• fish sauce
  2 tbsp
• garlic (minced)
  4 cloves
• gelatin
  1 to 1 1/2 ounces
• ground beef chuck
  1 lb
• ground black pepper
• ground lamb shoulder
  1 lb
• ground pork shoulder
  1 lb
• heavy cream
  1 c
• milk
  1 c
• onion (minced)
  1 large
• pancetta (diced)
  8 oz
• parsley (minced)
  4 tbsp
• pasta
• sage (minced)
  4 tbsp
• salt
• unsalted butter
  4 tbsp
• white or red wine
  2 c
• whole peeled tomatoes
  1 28-ounce can

🍳 Cookware

• bowl
• dutch oven
• potato masher
• skillet
• dutch oven
• dutch oven
• oven
• pot
• serving bowl

1. 1

   Place chicken stock in a bowl and sprinkle with gelatin .

   chicken stock: 4 c, gelatin: 1 to 1 1/2 ounces
2. 2

   Purée whole peeled tomatoes .

   whole peeled tomatoes: 1 28-ounce can
3. 3

   Purée chicken livers .

   chicken livers: 8 oz
4. 4

   Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a dutch oven over high heat until shimmering.

   extra-virgin olive oil: 4 tbsp
5. 5

   Add ground beef chuck , ground pork shoulder , and ground lamb shoulder .

   ground beef chuck: 1 lb, ground pork shoulder: 1 lb, ground lamb shoulder: 1 lb
6. 6

   Season with salt and ground black pepper .

   salt, ground black pepper
7. 7

   Cook, stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon or potato masher , until no longer pink.
8. 8

   ⏱️ 10 minutes
9. 9

   Remove from heat and stir in the puréed chicken livers.
10. 10

    Heat unsalted butter and pancetta (diced) in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

    unsalted butter: 4 tbsp, pancetta (diced): 8 oz
11. 11

    Cook, stirring frequently, until fat has mostly rendered but butter and pancetta have not yet started to brown.
12. 12

    ⏱️ 8 minutes
13. 13

    Add onion (minced) , carrots (chopped) , celery (chopped) , garlic (minced) , sage (minced) , and parsley (minced) .

    onion (minced): 1 large, carrots (chopped): 2, celery (chopped): 4 ribs, garlic (minced): 4 cloves, sage (minced): 4 tbsp, parsley (minced): 4 tbsp
14. 14

    Cook, stirring and tossing, until vegetables are completely softened but not browned.
15. 15

    ⏱️ 8 minutes
16. 16

    Transfer mixture to dutch oven with meat mixture.
17. 17

    Return dutch oven to high heat and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
18. 18

    ⏱️ 10 minutes
19. 19

    Add white or red wine and cook, stirring, until mostly evaporated.

    white or red wine: 2 c
20. 20

    Add the stock, tomatoes, milk , and bay leaves .

    milk: 1 c, bay leaves: 2
21. 21

    Season gently with salt and pepper.
22. 22

    Bring sauce to a simmer, then transfer to oven uncovered.
23. 23

    ⏱️ 3 to 4 hours Cook, stirring and scraping down sides of pot occasionally, until liquid has almost completely reduced and sauce is rich and thick underneath a heavy layer of fat.
24. 24

    If sauce still looks liquid or fat has not separated and formed a thick layer after 4 hours, transfer to stovetop and finish cooking at a brisk simmer, stirring frequently.
25. 25

    Carefully skim off most of the fat, leaving behind about 1 cup total.
26. 26

    Stir in heavy cream , Parmesan cheese , fish sauce , and remaining parsley.

    heavy cream: 1 c, Parmesan cheese: 3 oz, fish sauce: 2 tbsp
27. 27

    Bring to a boil on stovetop, stirring constantly to emulsify.
28. 28

    Season to taste with salt and pepper.
29. 29

    Heat sauce in a large pot until just simmering.
30. 30

    Cook pasta in a large pot of well-salted water until just barely al dente.

    pasta
31. 31

    Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
32. 32

    Return pasta to pot and add just enough sauce to coat, along with some of the cooking liquid.
33. 33

    Cook over high heat, tossing and stirring gently, until sauce is thick and pasta is coated.
34. 34

    ⏱️ 30 seconds
35. 35

    Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately, passing Parmesan at the table.