Your favorite, "Meat sauce" recipe...

Hi, Foodies. I’m searching for your favorite red meat sauce recipe. I’m making a batch to freeze and take camping this coming weekend. It needs to be kid-friendly, at least a little bit, but I want something more interesting than just browning some beef and adding it to marinara. I’ve done several versions and am always ho-hum about them. The kids tend to like sauces a bit more tomato-heavy and/or “loose” than a traditional bolognese. Any ideas?

roast off some onions and carrots with slab bacon then run it all through a grinder

I’ve been making a nice all veal bolognese lately in large batches that freezes very well. Sweat off finely diced mirepoix in olive oil seasoning it with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme. Meanwhile slice and brown mushrooms in butter in a separate pan and set aside making sure to add some chicken stock or water to the pan when done to pick up the fond and save it for the sauce. Once the mirepoix is translucent and soft add in the ground veal breaking it up as well as you can while browning it. Next add the browned mushrooms and then add in the tomato paste making sure to coat the veal and veggies while cooking it off to lose a little of the tartness of the paste. Next, add in your whole peeled canned tomatoes and break them down to your desired fineness (I use a potato masher to do this). Add half a bottle of red wine to the sauce and cook down on low heat maintaining a very soft simmer making sure to stir occasionally so the sauce doesn’t burn at the bottom of the pot. Once cooked down add a quart of good chicken stock and the mushroom fond and cook down again which should take about 2 hours. Then add a cup of whole milk and continue to cook down about another hour. Your sauce should be done at the point and the flavors that develop over the long cooking time should be quite developed and complex. Ive been very happy with this sauce over homemade spinach pappardelle.

the Flour + Water Cookbook is quite good, btw.

How about shredding short ribs in traditional bolognese instead of the usual ground beef?

Great idea but I like using oxtail instead.

Not a bad choice…but Brandon mentioned kid-friendly. THinking shredded short ribs might be a bit better received than oxtails.

I would second the idea of using onions and carrots – makes the sauce slightly sweeter in a caramelized sort of way, which might be appealing to kids. I also like to add bacon to mine at the start as well (I start sautéing bacon, then use that fat for onions, carrots and garlic. Then the rest. I think using short ribs or ox tail is also a really good idea). Good luck!

I use a Michael White recipe which is easy & fast.

1lb of crumbled sweet sausage
diced onion
1-2 Tab - tomato paste
1 cup cream

Saute onion and sausage. Add tomato paste then cream until thickened. Toss with pasta and add cheese.

Have a few variations on bolognese but my core usually has:

  1. Grind meat at home after quick freeze. Do NOT brown meat.

  2. Pancetta/bacon/guanciale rendered, fat used to cook veggies

  3. Use high quality stock &/or demi

  4. Little fish sauce is a huge boost. Trust me.

  5. If serving with pasta, add dollop of creme fraiche on top to swirl in as opposed to heavy cream

I am curious about the fish sauce. How much generally do you use? Would anchovies do something similar?

Sunday Gravy.
Lots of good recipes and suggestions.
https://wineimport.discoursehosting.net/t/sunday-gravy-my-red-sauce/35645/1

I’m liking a lot of these ideas. Great thread about the Sunday Gravy!

In sauces I’ve done, I generally prefer deglazing with white wine rather than red. I’m not sure why but, especially with bolognese, I like the “lighter” profile to go along with the veggies, meat and milk.

Anyone put a Parmesan rind in the sauce as it simmers? I’ve never done that, but have seen it.

I have. Don’t notice a significant addition of flavor.

I like the rinds. Here’s my pizza sauce recipe: http://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1834194#p1834194

Glad someone linked that. I love that thread

My sausage and beef bolognese.

1 pound sweet Italian sausages, no skin
1 pound ground sirloin
1 onion
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
1 35 oz can of Cento tomatoes
1 small can of Cento tomato paste

I food process the veggies in olive oil for 10-15 minutes. I then add the meat and cook until browned. I drain the fat. I add 1 large can of tomatoes (Cento Italian, 35oz) that I have run through processor but still a bit chunky. I add a small can of tomato paste (Cento) Add some salt, pepper to taste and 5-8 fresh basil leaves. Set low and cook for an hour and a half stirring occasionally. Here I have served with some fresh pasta and ricotta but any use is awesome. Its quite thick with this combo and very meaty.
A few days later I used for the centers on my arancini.
bolognese.jpg

about 1-2 T per 3 pounds of meat. Lower end if I’m using mostly veal, more if i do veal/pork/beef and even sometimes lamb combo. I don’t think the anchovies would fully get you what the fish sauce does, but would be along same lines. Fish sauce being special in that it’s fermented anchovies/other fish. Little goes a long way and yes, it does not smell good but does wonders for helping bring out a rich, meaty flavor.

+1

How about a vegan option? :wink: