Bolognese Sauce

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Heat in a large heavy-bottomed pot: 1 tablespoon olive oil.

   Step 2

   Add: 2 ounces pancetta, diced fine.

   Step 3

   Cook over medium heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add: 1 small onion, diced fine, 1 celery stalk, diced fine, 1 carrot, diced fine, 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped, 5 sage leaves, 2 thyme sprigs, 1 bay leaf.

   Step 4

   Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 12 minutes.

   Step 5

   While the vegetables are cooking, heat in a large heavy-bottomed pan, preferably cast iron: 1 tablespoon olive oil.

   Step 6

   Add and brown over medium-high heat, in two batches: 1 pound skirt steak, cut into 1/8-inch cubes, 4 ounces pork shoulder, coarsely ground.

   Step 7

   Cook until the meat is a nice chestnut color. Once all the meat is browned, pour in: 1 cup dry white wine.

   Step 8

   Reduce the wine by half, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the browned meat and the deglazing juices to the tender vegetables with: 2 tablespoons tomato paste, Salt.

   Step 9

   Measure and stir together: 2 cups beef or chicken broth, 1 1/2 cups milk.

   Step 10

   Pour enough of this liquid into the pot to bring it to the level of the meat and vegetables. Simmer gently until the meat is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. As the liquid reduces, keep topping it up with the rest of the broth and milk, and skimming the fat that rises to the surface.

   Step 11

   When the meat is tender, remove the sauce from the heat and season to taste with more salt, if needed, and: Fresh-ground black pepper.

2. Variations

   Step 12

   Include 1/4 cup dried porcini, soaked, drained, and chopped fine, with the diced vegetables.

   Step 13

   Other cuts of beef can be used instead of skirt steak. Chuck or hanging tenderloin will make a delicious sauce, although hanging tenderloin will require at least an hour more of cooking time to become tender. During the additional cooking time it may be necessary to add more broth or milk to keep the sauce from becoming too dry.