Slow Cooked Beef Bolognese
An old family favourite. It’s worth the effort to make a big batch, slow cooking away in the oven all day for the richest flavour. Perfect fresh or freeze in portions for a quick dinner option full of flavour. You can use any vegetables you’ve got on hand by either dicing or grating them in.
Serves 6
Ingredients
500g beef mince
1 onion diced
2-3 tsp minced garlic (or fresh/granule equivalent)
1 cup diced pumpkin
1 diced tomatoes (or 1 can of diced tomatoes)
1 large carrot grated
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp mixed herbs
2-3 cups of stock
100ml red wine or balsamic vinegar
Pepper to season
Method
Fry off onion and garlic until translucent.
Add beef and brown.
Add tomato paste, herbs and wine. Stir and simmer for 2-3 minutes until warmed through and bubbling.
Combine in vegetables then add stock. You want enough stock to cover the ingredients - it will be quite runny/soupy but the stock will cook down, leaving a beautiful rich flavour.
Pop in a 140-150°C oven for 4-6hrs. About halfway give it a stir. If you wish, mash the vegetables with the back of a spoon or potato masher, or leave it if you don’t mind chunks. If it seems a bit dry add a cup of water. If it seems really soupy still, leave lid ajar when returning to the oven. This will help some steam to escape and thicken the bolognese.
Once cooked it can be served immediately or just turn the oven off and leave it there until needed.
Serve with any pasta, in lasagne, or freeze in portions. Can be reheated in microwave or in a small saucepan with lid on low heat.
