Slow Simmered Meat Sauce Spaghetti
A patient ragu built from beef, pork, and pancetta that simmers for hours until the sauce turns deep, thick, and worth every minute of waiting.
Real ragu is mostly a matter of time rather than technique, letting beef, pork, and a little pancetta break down slowly until the sauce is thick enough to cling to every strand of spaghetti. Milk added partway through mellows the acidity of the tomatoes and keeps the meat tender. Plan for a lazy afternoon, since the sauce only gets better the longer it simmers.
Ingredients
Method
Tap a number to mark a step doneCook the pancetta in a large heavy pot over medium heat until the fat renders, about 4 minutes, then add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until softened, about 10 minutes.
Add the ground beef and ground pork along with the garlic, breaking up the meat, and cook until well browned, about 10 minutes.
Pour in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, and simmer until it mostly evaporates, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste, then bring to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook over low heat for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the whole milk during the last 20 minutes of cooking and continue simmering until the sauce is thick and deeply flavored.
About 15 minutes before the sauce is finished, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water until just shy of al dente.
Drain the spaghetti, reserving a cup of the cooking water, then toss the pasta with the ragu, loosening with pasta water as needed.
Serve in warm bowls topped with grated parmesan and torn fresh basil scattered generously over each portion at the table.
Kitchen note
This ragu tastes even better the next day, so consider making a double batch and refrigerating half to reheat gently over low heat later in the week.
