This Slow-Simmered Bolognese Sauce Will Perfume Your Entire House (2024)

FAQs

What does simmering Bolognese do? ›

Take your time with the Bolognese sauce. Allow it to simmer slowly, at a low temperature, to allow the flavors to fully develop and intensify. This slow-cooking process is essential for achieving the rich, complex taste that makes Bolognese sauce so distinctive.

Dressing Pasta in Ragù Bolognese

This is the kind of sauce that not only delivers on the promise of deliciousness while you're eating it, but also makes your entire house smell wonderful for the four to five hours it takes to cook, and for days after you're done.

As far as its taste, it will have a meaty heartiness from the browned meats, a sweet tang from the rich tomatoes, as well as an herbal kick from the various Italian spices used. If you've ever enjoyed a pasta dish with meat and tomato-based sauce, it was likely a variation of a bolognese recipe.

Like most recipes the longer you leave it to slowly cook the better the flavour will be but this can also be knocked up with in an hour.

Cook, covered and stirring occasionally, until the flavors have melded and the meat is extremely tender and flavorful-- at least 4 hours, but I like to cook mine all day! About 30 minutes prior to serving, stir in the cup of milk and continue to cook, uncovered and slightly simmering, until ready to serve.

Can you overcook bolognese? Once the meat is browned and you've added in the tomatoes and water, it's nearly impossible to overcook your Bolognese Sauce. When you add liquids like water or milk, the simmering time reduces the liquids and packs extra flavor into your sauce.

You can simmer with the cookware lid on or off, simply follow your recipe instructions. Keep in mind that when using a cover, you'll want to set your stovetop to a low setting as it can reach a simmer faster than without a cap. When you're not using a lid, adjust your stovetop setting to medium.

To thicken a soup, stew, or sauce, leaving the lid uncovered is ideal. "It must be off, or semi-covered, if you are slowing down the reduction process," says Stephen Chavez, chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education.

Even though both are considered meat sauces and are thusly chunky, ragù is more like a thick tomato sauce with recognizable bits of ground beef within it. Bolognese, though, is creamier and thicker because it is made with milk. It is not considered to be a tomato sauce.

What is the difference between Italian bolognese and American bolognese? ›

Q1: What is the distinction between traditional and American Bolognese? A1: While some of the ingredients in bolognese are similar to those in American-style spaghetti meat sauce, authentic bolognese is thicker, has milk added (which is delicious), and uses far less tomato.

According to our Food Director Amira, not only does milk add a rich flavour to the bolognese, but it also “helps cut through the acidity of the tomatoes and red wine”. She adds: “It also makes the mince meat nice and tender, creating that melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness.”

Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until mixture cooks down into a thick sauce, at least 3 hours but preferably 4 to 6 hours. Skim fat from the top of sauce if desired. Add more water if sauce is too thick.

During cooking, you can further improve your meat sauce by adding other flavourings to boost complexity; a splash of worcestershire or even some soy which are both especially good with beef mince. My favourite Calabrian nonna adds a piece of pig skin the size of a cheese slice (ask your butcher).

Many brands not only contain plenty of fat like vegetable oil, but also come with a good slug of added sugar and salt too. This is because using lots of tomatoes and fresh herbs and seasoning to make a sauce is expensive.

Simmer for richer flavor

Low and slow, Bon Appétit confirms that the reason why a simmered sauce is so darn delicious is because it allows water to cook off, concentrating the umami-packed flavors of the tomatoes and balancing the levels of sugar and acidity in the sauce. The technique also builds complexity.

Ragú Bolognese is rich and savory, but gentle and silky, too—it's perfect for coating tender egg pasta. In Italy, this sauce is most often served with tagliatelle, and it clings to the noodles seductively.

Simmering cooks at lower temperatures with less agitation, allowing you to slowly incorporate flavors into your dishes. A simmer allows lower heat to penetrate food more slowly and is a better choice for delicate foods that might break apart in a rapid boil.

Simmering not only reduces liquid (and thereby thickens the sauce), but also contributes to mechanical stirring, helping that starchy pasta water do its job of emulsifying the sauce with the fat and getting it to coat the pasta.