Slow-cooker Bolognese is an all-beef take on the Italian classic. It simmers low and slow to develop rich flavor and a velvety finish.
Instructions
1
Finely chop the aromatics
2
Place the onions, celery, carrot and garlic in a food processor. Pulse them until they're finely chopped, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Editor’s Tip: No food processor? Finely dice the vegetables by hand.
3
Brown the beef and vegetables
4
In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables and ground beef. Cook, stirring frequently and breaking the beef into crumbles, for six to eight minutes until the beef is no longer pink. Then stir in the ground nutmeg, salt and pepper.
5
Deglaze with wine
6
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef and vegetables to a clean bowl. Discard the drippings from the pot, then return the beef mixture to the Dutch oven. Stir in the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cook, stirring frequently, until most of the wine has evaporated. Editor’s Tip: Cooking the wine until it’s almost gone cooks off the alcohol and deepens the flavor—so you get richness without a sharp, boozy bite.
7
Slow-cook the sauce
8
Transfer the beef mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in the heavy whipping cream, beef broth and tomato paste. Cover the slow cooker and cook the sauce on low for 3 hours and 30 minutes to 4 hours, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and the flavors have melded. Editor’s Tip: If your sauce seems thicker than you’d like at the end of the cook time, stir in an extra splash of broth or a bit of pasta cooking water to loosen it.
9
Serve the Bolognese hot over your favorite cooked pasta. If desired, sprinkle it with grated Parmesan cheese.
