The Best Meat Ragu
Author Notes: This is the meat sauce recipe that my Genovese great-grandmother Raffo served to her family and is still a family favorite. —[email protected]
Serves 4-6
- 1 pound ground beef, not lean
- 1 yellow onion, medium, chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- good olive oil
- 1 28 oz can whole italian tomatoes, with juice
- 2 tablespoons tomatoe paste
- 1 tablespoon Bovril or other beef concentrate
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Reconstituted Porcini mushrooms to taste (optional)
- Lightly coat bottom of a medium saucepot with olive oil, add butter and melt over medium flame on stovetop. Do not brown butter.
- When butter and oil are hot, add onions and "sweat" until translucent.
- Add ground beef but DO NOT crumble or break apart. Add meat in one "lump." Turn heat down to low, cover pot and simmer for 45 minutes.
- After approximately 45 minutes the meat should be brown all over. Break meat apart into tiny bits with a wooden spoon. Do not drain. Add remaining ingredients, leaving tomatoes whole. Simmer covered for 1.5 - 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Break tomatoes apart with wooden spoon and simmer partially covered for 30 more minutes.
- Taste for salt. Serve over your favorite pasta with plenty of good-quality Parmesan cheese.
More Great Recipes: Pasta|Beef & Veal|Entrees|Ground Beef
over 3 years ago The Junk Drunk
This sounds delicious and similar to my slow cooker recipe that I made this week!
http://thejunkdrunk.wordpress.com/2013/02/14/deep-stir-braised-beef-ragu-with-fettuccine/