| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 5 hr 45 min |
| Prep: | 45 min |
| Cook: | 5 hr |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 6 ounces thick sliced bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 whole star anise pod
- 3 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, 3 minced and 2 sliced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 8 ounces coarsely ground beef chuck
- 8 ounces coarsely ground pork butt
- 1 1/4 cups white wine, divided
- 3/4 cup evaporated milk
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1-ounce dried porcini mushrooms, finely chopped
- 2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried marjoram
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
- 1 gallon water
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1/2 pound dry spaghetti
Instructions
- For the meat sauce:
- Place an 8-quart Dutch oven over low heat and add the bacon. Cook slowly until the bacon is crispy and has rendered its fat, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan for another use. Add the onion, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Place the clove and star anise into a small spice bag, add to the Dutch oven and stir to combine. Cook, uncovered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions caramelize, 45 to 60 minutes. Add the celery and the 3 cloves of minced garlic to the pan and continue to cook over low heat until the celery is semi-translucent, approximately 30 minutes. Remove the spice bag from the pot.
- Meanwhile, place a wide 4-quart saute pan, over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and once it shimmers, add the beef chuck and the pork butt and cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is well browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the meat to a colander to drain. Return the pan to high heat, add 1/2 cup of the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Transfer these bits and any remaining wine to the Dutch oven along with the meat.
- Add another 1/2 cup of the wine, evaporated milk, beef broth, and mushrooms to the Dutch oven and stir to combine. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours.
- Once the sauce has been cooking for 1 1/2 hours, place the 4-quart saute pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once it shimmers, add the 2 cloves of sliced garlic and cook for 30 to 45 seconds or until fragrant. Do not allow the garlic to brown. Add the tomatoes, oregano, basil, and marjoram and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, approximately 30 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup wine, tomato paste, ketchup, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine. Decrease the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high; add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Transfer the tomato mixture to the meat mixture and stir to combine. Simmer the sauce, uncovered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, while preparing the pasta.
- For the pasta:
- Bring the water and salt to a boil over high heat. Carefully add the pasta, stirring quickly to separate. Cover and return to a boil, being careful that the water does not boil over. Once boiling again, uncover and continue to cook until slightly less than al dente, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain in a colander.
- Add the pasta to the meat sauce and cook, over low heat, for another 2 to 3 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Add the Parmesan cheese and toss to combine. Transfer pasta and sauce to a serving bowl or individual bowls and serve.
Reviews
A full day of work if you want it done right – but worth it!
I’m not sure what everyone is talking about with the curdled milk or anything else but follow the directions, coarse ground meat, do what the recipe says and don’t cut corners. You will end up with the most amazing sauce. Bolegnese style with layers of flavor. I used two pounds of meat for extra people and added 1 can of tomato sauce at the end. I also took the lid off the meat sauce and let it cook down for 20 minutes before I combined the tomato sauce. Everyone raved about it. Still a winner Alton after all these years.
Follow this recipe, take the time, do not deviate or substitute. It is phenomenal! Thanks Alton…a total keeper forever.
just FYI I made it with vermouth and a tablespoon of mirin instead of white wine (didnt have any at hand) and I also subbed out oatmilk for the evaporated milk (allergy issues) AND IT DID NOT CURDLE! yes, I know I changed a lot, but wanted to let you know these modifications worked!
Every time I make this sauce it is a massive hit. I save it for special occasions when I have company over and we bring some nice Barolo or Chianti to have with it. I cannot stress enough how big of a difference there is between this recipe and buying sauce pre made. My friend is a super picky eater and said she hates spaghetti. She loved this, however, and said this is the only meat sauce she would eat. Trust me, this is absolutely worth the labor. Besides, your house will smell amazing all day. Don’t make substitutions! The Sherry vinegar is essential! It freezes just fine if you have left overs (doesn’t usually happen).
Best sauce ever! My father-in-law even said I can make it anytime I want. He had two plates so if he liked it that means it’s #1! It takes some time so don’t skimp and cut corners. If you don’t have time make something else.
Loved the “layers of flavors” being built over time. I think it needed more ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, and something a little hotter – cayenne or Calabrian.
The evaporated milk curdled. (Yes, it was Carnation brand, nowhere near expiration date.) Adding insult to injury: I paid extra to get the meat from a local gourmet shop, had to throw it all out. Maybe it curdled because I didn’t use any mushrooms? Quite disappointing. 🙁
This recipe is great.
I use the sauce recipe as a base now for every other recipe.
I use the sauce recipe as a base now for every other recipe.
Wonderful! We were sooo hungry though, so instead of letting the meat and beef broth cook on low for 3 hours covered, I uncovered it and let it high simmer for almost an hour, reducing the liquid to about a third, and then added pureed tomatoes instead of diced since hubs doesn’t like chunks. I don’t think anyone would have known the difference. Oh yeah, and I omitted the celery- only a savage adds celery to their meat sauce, even if it is “authentic”, hahaha.