Traditional Bolognese Sauce

Bolognese sauce, a classic Italian favorite, is characterized by its rich and hearty flavor profile, which comes from a blend of minced meat, tomatoes, and in our recipe, mushrooms. Slow simmering for 4 hours allows the ingredients to meld together, enhancing the sauce's complexity. We suggest serving over a hearty pasta with a vegetable side for a delicious meal that embodies traditional Italian cooking.

Cookware: Use the HearthStone Cookware Dutch Oven, 5.5 qt or Dutch Oven 7.25 qt for this recipe.

Makes 12 cups of sauce, serves: 12 - 16

Time: 5 hours

2 Tablespoons olive oil divided

1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground pork

6 ounces pancetta finely chopped

12 ounces crimini mushrooms chopped

1 ounces dried porcini mushrooms rehydrated in warm water for 30 minutes, then dried and chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 medium yellow onion chopped

2 carrots chopped

2 celery stalks chopped

5 cloves garlic minced

1 cup white wine

2 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes

1 28 ounce can tomato puree

2 cups milk

2 bay leaves

1 bunch fresh thyme

Flat-leaf Italian parsley chopped

Parmesan cheese

Pasta - Choose you favorite shape. You will have a lot of sauce, so cook multiple pounds to feed a lot of people.

Heat the Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. 

When hot, add the ground beef, ground pork, pancetta and chopped mushrooms.  Season with salt and pepper.  Brown, breaking up the meat and cooking until the mushrooms are cooked and the meat is no longer pink. 

Transfer the meat to a separate bowl and drain the grease from the pan.

To make the soffritto, reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. 

Add the onion, carrots, and celery and mix together, cooking until the vegetables are soft begin to caramelize, about 10-15 minutes.  

Add the garlic to the vegetables and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Add the wine to the soffritto and cook for 3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan, until slightly reduced.

Return the browned mushrooms and meat to the pan, then add in the crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, milk, bay leaves and thyme.  Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer. 

Reduce meat to low and partially cover the Dutch oven with a lid.  Simmer for 4 hours, stirring frequently.  

When the sauce has thickened, remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs, then taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt if needed.  

When the sauce is ready, bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt.  Add the pasta and cook as directed. Drain the pasta, then return to the pan and toss with however much Bolognese sauce you would like. 

Serve and garnish with chopped Italian parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Remaining sauce freezes and reheats well and can be used in lasagna Bolognese.