The Best Bolognese

This Bolognese draws from the Marcella Hazan method—milk-enriched, slow-cooked, and built to deepen rather than rush. Pre's CMO, Nicole Schumacher developed this version for her family, using Pre's 95% lean ground beef to carry the sauce without conventional meat's weight. The tripled recipe is designed for batch cooking—each portion freezes well, making it a foundation for weeknight lasagna, pasta, or any dish that calls for a full-bodied meat sauce.

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 3

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Bolognese Ingredients

• 1 pound Pre 95% Lean Ground Beef

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 8 tablespoons butter

• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion

• 2 cups chopped celery

• 2 cups chopped carrot

• 1 pound ground veal

• 1 pound ground pork

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 3 cups whole milk

• 1/2 teaspoon fresh nutmeg, grated on a micro-plane

• 3 cups dry white wine

• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

• 1 14-ounce can petite diced tomatoes

Instructions:

1. Add olive oil, butter, and chopped onion to a heavy pot over medium heat. Cook and stir until onion becomes translucent, then add celery and carrot. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring to coat vegetables well.

   
   

2. Add ground beef, veal, pork, salt, and pepper to the pot. Crumble meat with a spoon and stir until browned, about 6 to 7 minutes. (Why: crumbling while cooking ensures even browning and breaks apart the meats into uniform pieces.)

   
   

3. Pour in milk and simmer gently, stirring frequently, until it has evaporated completely. Stir in nutmeg to combine.

   
   

4. Add wine to the pot and let it simmer until it has evaporated. Add both cans of tomatoes and stir thoroughly.

   
   

5. When tomatoes begin to bubble, reduce heat to a bare simmer with just small bubbles breaking the surface. Cook uncovered for 3 hours or more, stirring from time to time. (Why: low, gentle heat allows flavors to meld and deepens the sauce without reducing it too quickly.)

   
   

6. Cool to room temperature before portioning and freezing, or serve over pasta or use as the base for lasagna.

Notes

This Bolognese keeps frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating over low heat. The long simmer is central to the recipe—resist the urge to rush it. Nicole Schumacher's original, single-batch version uses 1/4 pound each of beef, veal, and pork; multiply all ingredients proportionally if scaling differently.