Sauce Week - Day 3 - Bolognese Sauce

You can't have a sauce week without a good meaty sauce can you?  Ya, I didn't think so.
I have to admit that in the past, a meat sauce in our house was few and far between, sauce with meatballs - different story all together!  Just seemed easier but in retrospect I guess not since I don't buy prepared balls I make them myself - I never claimed to be brilliant

This sauce does take some time to produce the flavors so if you don't normally eat early this could work for a week night dinner OR you could make a bunch on the weekend and freeze it (which is always a good thing) I just sounded like Martha in my head there!

Now you will notice throughout the pages that there are very little IF ANY posts with ground beef, but this recipe I find really does need the beefy flavor (but I have made it with ground chicken and turkey and its good too)
Pasta sauce tastes so much better when it's not from a can! 

Bolognese Sauce

1 lb lean ground beef

4 slices slices bacon cut into small pieces
2 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. sage
1 tsp. each salt and pepper
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 c. dry red wine
1 can tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 c. water
pinch of sugar


In a large pot add chopped bacon, onions, minced garlic, carrots, celery, and spices; fry over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 7-8 minutes.
In a separate pan brown off the meat and add to the veggies once nearly cooked (it will finish cooking in the sauce)

Add crushed tomatoes, wine, water, tomato paste, bay leaf and sugar, breaking up tomatoes with potato masher or spoon; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 1 hour. I like to simmer for another little while (30 minutes more if you have time)
Discard bay leaf before serving.

Yes this picture was taken before - this was from the homemade pasta post (I didn't take sauce prep phots, sorry)