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Finely chop the onions and garlic, peel and finely chop the carrots and finely chop the celery. For fast chopping, chop coarsely then use a food processor to pulse and finely chop. Set aside.
Cut the bacon or pancetta.
Heat a large saucepan over medium high heat. It will need to hold over 1 ⅓ gallons which is about 5 litres.
Add the oil and butter.
When the oil is heated, add the onion, carrot, and celery.
Turn the heat down a tad so they don't burn.
Fry until starting to become golden and catch a little on the bottom of the saucepan.
When the onion, carrot and celery are golden add the bacon and garlic and stir well. Continue to cook for a few more minutes.
Now start adding the ground beef a bit at a time. Stirring well and allow the meat to colour.
Then add in the ground pork a bit at a time. Repeat the same as the ground beef.
Once the ground meat is well cooked, add the pork ribs and sausages.
Pour in the wine and allow to boil and simmer for a few minutes.
Now you can add the remainder of the ingredients - Parmesan rind (if using), tomato puree (passata), canned tomatoes which have been crushed with a fork, tomato paste, stock, potato, herbs (if using) and seasonings.
Add half of the sugar and you can taste later if the sauce needs more.
Bring to the boil then lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
Cover the saucepan and check and stir regularly, You may need to adjust the heat to achieve that sweet spot of a gentle simmer.
Once you have achieved that perfect simmer, allow to cook for about 4 to 5 hours.
Check regularly that the sauce is not drying out. If so, add a little boiling water.
After about two hours of simmering. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
When the sauce is done. Remove the sausage and the ribs. Cut up the sausage finely, shred the meat from the pork ribs and add the sausage and meat back to the sauce.
Find the potato pieces and crush against the side of the saucepan with a wooden spoon. Stir thoroughly.
Allow to cool a little, then transfer to freezer containers for storage in the freezer.
I very rarely make this authentic Bolognese Sauce in small batches because it needs to simmer for hours whether you make a small batch or a large one. The long, slow cooking is also one of the keys of this recipe but the ingredients are important too.The ingredient list is lengthy but all the ingredients you can find in your supermarket. Let’s talk about some of the main ingredients.
Beef and pork mince (ground) – I like to buy beef and pork neck and mince it myself because I have a nifty attachment for my stand mixer. But use good quality beef and pork mince or you can finely cut the meat and use that instead.
Sausages – please don’t buy your standard supermarket sausages. If that’s all you can get, leave the sausages out. They are full of fillers like breadcrumbs. Go to a butcher who makes good sausages. Look for continental sausages or other Italian sausages. Good sausages have all the flavour of meat, fat and spices.
Pork ribs – it’s important to have bones in the sauce. Long slow cooking releases amazing flavour that only bones can give. If not pork ribs, use another pork cut with bones such as pork chops.
Other meats – you can include pork rashes or pork spare ribs even some chicken if you like.
Parmesan rind – this is something I use frequently. I buy Parmesan buy the block from my local delicatessen and save the rinds. But if you don’t, call in to the delicatessen and ask them to save the rinds for you. The flavour Parmesan rind gives is amazing!
Herbs are optional and not always used. This is a personal preference. You leave them out.
Variations
Pork ribs can be replaced with any bone in pork just as pork chops.
Italian sausages can be replace with any good sausage you enjoy.
Beef stock can be homemade or store bought – in liquid or powder form.
Sugar is added to taste. You may need to add a bit more once you taste it after two hours.
Secret Ingredient
The secret ingredient is a potato. Potato is not a typical ingredient in an authentic Bolognese sauce. However just a small potato makes all the difference and everyone notices if I don’t put it in.