High Cheese Bolognese

High Cheese

Saucier
Here's my version not using any pre-ground meats. This thread is more of a method than recipe, and I'm open to other ingredients or ideas.

Usually on Sunday's I roast a pork shoulder for dinners in the up coming week. If I'm making Bolognese I try to get the largest shoulder on the shelf. I trim off the shoulder about the same amount of chuck. I try to find a small chuck steak, about 2-3 pounds.

Equal parts chuck and pork shoulder cut into 1/2-1" cubes
1 carrot, minced
1 celery, minced
1 medium onion, minced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
about 12 button mushrooms chopped
whatever dry herbs you have on hand (Italian seasoning, oregano, etc)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more)
3-4 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 bottle good red wine
1-2 cans 28oz chopped or diced tomatoes
water
fresh parsley
salt and papper to taste

In a large dutch oven or heavy bottom stock pot, start browning the meat in small batches just until brown. Don't crowd the pot so it boils, so plan on 4-5 batches. Add oil as needed to keep the bottom of the pot oiled, but not too much. Keep the pot hot! Add a pinch of salt for each batch and remove with a spider or slotted spoon. Remove any excess fat/oil in the pot.

After the meat is browned, add the vegetables and mushrooms, sautee over medium heat just until they have color. Add the dry herbs, red pepper and tomato paste, stir with the veg and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the wine to deglaze and reduce by half. Add the meat back to the pot along with one of the cans of tomato and 1/2 can water. If the meat isn't covered add more tomato. add another pinch of salt and some black pepper.

Cover, bring to boil, then back to a simmer. Cook over med-low heat for 3-4 hours stirring occasionally. The meat should be fall apart tender. At this point, use a wooden spoon and break up all the meat, basically shredding it into the sauce. Taste for seasoning and add some fresh parsley.

You don't wind up with a slightly gritty texture that ground meats can sometimes have when cooked for a long period of time.
 

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
'zats a biggita batch o'sauce!

but I'm with you on the 'grind it yo-'self' bit - well, actually you're doing cubes / shreds - there can evolve a raging discussion about whether Bolognese involves meat or not, much less ground / cubed /shredded. apparently some regions of Italy are more or less 'authentic'

one thing that does pique my interest is the browning issue. I've gotten more 'raves' from ground/cubed meat that has been "heavily" browned - to the point of some crispness around the edges - that is subsequent long cooked smothered in 'liquid' - seems the liquid softens / re-softens the more browned bits, but the flavor of a 'more better browned' meat doesn't go away.

short story: my son was visiting, I'm making spaghetti for dinner. his question: "what do you do? my spaghetti sauce never tastes as good as yours." so I said "show me how you fix it" and he tosses the ground beef in a pan and heats it until the bloody red color changes to light brown and reaches for the tomato sauce. this process I interrupted, turned up the heat, and continued to saute the ground beef until roughly 50% of the "kernels" showed some dark color. the finished dish met his expectations, so the question revolves around "What is browned meat?"
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Sounds lovely, HC!

What kind of pasta did you serve it with?

Lee
 

luvs

'lil Chef
Gold Site Supporter
much as my family would make. tho, my Dad changed the ingredients on whims & sales.
 
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