Ragù Bolognese

By Diane Unger & Courtney HillFebruary 10, 2020

Makes
Makes about 8 cups
Cook Time
4 hours
Active time plus cooling
40 minutes active
Rating
11

This recipe makes enough ragù for lasagna Bolognese with enough leftovers for another night's pasta dinner. We were taught how to make it at chef Alberto Bettini’s Michelin-starred Amerigo restaurant outside Bologna. Try to purchase pancetta in a large chunk from the deli counter, and if it comes in casing-like plastic, make sure to remove and discard the wrap before use. The next best option is packaged already diced pancetta; if pre-sliced is the only option, it will work, but will cost a lot more and requires less time in the food processor. We add a bit of powdered gelatin to give the ragù a rich, velvety body that otherwise would require a lengthy simmer to achieve. The finished ragù can be cooled to room temperature and refrigerated for up to three days.

-Editor's Note, 2/24/25: We recently redeveloped this recipe, which originally appeared in the March-April 2020 issue of Milk Street Magazine, as well as season four of Milk Street Television. You can find the previous version in our cookbook "Noodles."

Tip

Don’t trim the fat from the beef and pork. The fat makes the ragù rich and supple, and carries the flavors of the other ingredients. Don’t process the beef and pork too finely; a coarse grind yields the best-textured sauce.

Ingredients

3
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1
medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1
medium celery stalk, finely chopped
1
medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
28
ounce can whole tomatoes
1½
pounds boneless beef short ribs, cut into rough 1-inch chunks
1
pound boneless pork shoulder, cut into rough 1-inch chunks
6
ounce piece pancetta, cut into rough ½-inch chunks (see headnote)
2
tablespoons tomato paste
½
cup dry white wine
1
quart low-sodium beef broth
2
bay leaves
Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Step 1

Heat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the lower-middle position. In a large Dutch oven over medium, combine the oil, onion, celery and carrot; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and jammy, about 20 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a food processor, puree the tomatoes with juices until smooth; transfer to a medium bowl. Add half of the beef to the food processor and pulse until coarsely ground, 7 to 10 pulses, then transfer to another medium bowl; repeat with the remaining beef. Repeat with the pork, in batches, adding it to the beef. Finally, process the pancetta to a coarse paste, about 30 seconds; add to the other meats.

Step 3

When the vegetables are softened, add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the paste begins to stick to the pot and brown, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until the pot is almost dry, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the ground meats, followed by the broth, tomatoes and bay. Bring to a simmer over medium-high, cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1 hour.

Step 4

Remove the pot from the oven. Stir, then return to the oven uncovered. Continue to cook until the meat is tender, the sauce is thick and the volume has reduced to about 8 cups, 2 to 2½ hours.

Step 5