Bolognese Sauce
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Author: tx kimmers Status: published Published: Oct 08,2009 license cc-by-nc-nd tags: recipe, pasta, tomato, italian, sauce, bolognese, pasta sauce,
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Share on TwitterRoasted short rib beef from the bone is what gives this tomato sauce is special flavor. This is not some Rachel Ray 30 minute stuff; this is make it today but don't use it until tomorrow stuff. The actual work time is brief and easy--it's mostly just waiting while it roasts and simmers, and it's all in one pot, which is nice. Make sure you pick a pot that can do the stovetop-to-oven thing.
Ingredients:
1 lb of short ribs, bone in (not optional, the bones add the best flavor)
1 Tbs olive or vegetable oil
3-4 chopped garlic cloves (or minced if you prefer)
1 small white or yellow onion, finely chopped
1 Tbs fresh chopped rosemary
1 Tbs fresh chopped thyme
1.5 (28 oz) cans of good quality tomato puree or chopped tomatoes
1 small bay leaf
Fresh grated nutmeg (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
To Do:
Heat a dutch oven on the stovetop with the bit of oil. Salt and pepper the short ribs, then put them into the bottom of the dutch oven and brown on both sides, about 7 minutes each side on medium heat. While the short ribs are browning, heat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. When the short ribs have browned nicely, cover the dutch oven and pop it into the heated oven for at least an hour, longer is better. The idea is to cook 'em low and slow, so that when you take them out, they have cooked thoroughly, have a bit of crispy but not burned edges, and can be shredded easily with your fingers or a fork. The meat should tear very easily off the bones. When your ribs have reached this point, you can take them out and let them cool on a cutting board. Keep the dutch oven on the stovetop.
Pour off the excess fat from the dutch oven. If you want to be a good person, a virtuous person, pour off ALL of the fat and add back in a bit of olive oil—or do what I do and just leave a thick bit o’ grease at the bottom of the dutch oven and pour off the rest. Whatever you do, don’t lose one bit of the brown scrapings at the bottom of the pot.
Chop your onions and garlic and put them together in the dutch oven—keep the heat to medium low so that the garlic doesn’t burn. After a bit you will see all the gorgeous brown crust mixing up with the softening onions, and people in the house will start asking you what is for dinner. Let the onions get soft, don’t let the garlic get burnt and while this is happening, you can shred the beef from the short rib bones, then add that back into the dutch oven.
Chop the fresh herbs and add these in to the meat/onion/garlic mixture, plus some salt and pepper. Add in the tomato sauce. You could use two full large cans of tomato puree, but I prefer just a can and half. Add a small bay leaf and a bit of fresh grated nutmeg (nutmeg optional but really nice). Stir this and then set on the back burner on low and let it simmer for at least 45 minutes. Taste to make sure the flavors have melded. You could use this now, but I like to save it for the next day and make some kind of massive baked pasta with the sauce and giant globs of fresh mozzarella melted all through it.
