There are few recipes that I try that I will make 0 edits to. If I’m being honest, when I make a recipe I usually just take a peak at the ingredients, skim the instructions, and go rogue. However, I make an exception when it comes to Andy’s Bolognese.
I’ve studied his recipe video, I treat the instructions like the word of God, and I take NO creative liberties. Ex: he doesn’t use garlic in the sauce and it takes a lot of discipline for me to refrain from slipping in a clove or two. Why? Because it’s perfect. It really is. Some reasons why:
- The ingredient list is thoughtfully and intentionally small(ish). I’ve seen ingredient lists for bolognese that span 2 pages. Not here! It’s no nonsense. No extras. Just the good stuff.
- The technique yields a meat sauce so tender it will shock you. It might feel like an unnecessary amount of steps, but each steps serves its purpose.
The technique that he uses to brown off the ground beef is one that I have permanently adapted into my everyday cooking. Instead of adding all of the meat to the pan at once, he has you break it up into 1-2inch pieces (meat ball adjacent) and brown them in batches. This allows for maximum caramelization. If you’ve ever tried to brown 1 lb of ground meat in a pan you know its a constant battle between you and the steam. You’re left with grayish meat and 0 crispy bits.
The reason why we brown meat in our cooking is not just because it looks cool, but because it scientifically tastes better. This is referred to as the “Maillard reaction”. Basically it’s a chemical reaction between the amino acids and sugars in protein (animal protein most famously) and it only occurs when the protein reaches a temperature of ~285°F. This may not seem like a very high temperature, but I can assure you that the 1 lb of ground meat that you tried to brown in a 10inch pan will not get any where close to that temp before overcooking.
This is also why chefs insist you dont “crowd the pan”. Your pan can only conduct so much heat at one time, and sometimes theres not enough of that heat to go around! …. I digress
What started as a love letter to pasta has become a science report. And that’s show biz baby! But seriously, if you’re looking to make the best bolognese money can buy and you’ve got about 3-4 hours to spare. Look no further than Andy’s recipe.
And to clarify, even though I don’t feel this needs clarification, I do not get compensated for promoting other people’s recipes. But I would feel like a real fake ass bitch if I came out with my own bolognese recipe as if this weren’t the blue print? I hope that makes sense xx
Oh wait but I do have a recipe for Chili Bolognese which is really yummy. I encourage you give her a spin FOR SURE.
