Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce

Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

2 to 3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 1/2 to 2 pounds ground beef

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup milk

1 cup white or red wine

2 (28-ounce) cans of whole peeled tomatoes

1 bay leaf


Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot, and cook until the onion is translucent and all the vegetables have softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and the tomato paste, and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the beef, breaking it apart with your spoon and cooking until it is just browned. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt along with the thyme, oregano, pepper, and nutmeg.

Stir in the milk and bring it to a rapid simmer. Continue simmering until the milk has reduced completely and very little liquid remains, about 10 minutes. Stir in the wine and simmer again until reduced completely, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef mixture to the bowl of a 6-quart slow cooker.

Open the cans of tomatoes and strain through a strainer, reserving the juices. Transfer the tomatoes to the slow cooker, squishing them in your fist or mashing them against the side of the slow cooker to break them down into small pieces.

Add the bay leaf to the slow cooker and stir everything together.

Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.

The last half hour of cooking, check the sauce. If it looks soupy, remove the lid to allow any excess liquid to evaporate and reduce the sauce. If it looks a little dry, stir in some of the reserved tomato juices. The finished sauce should be thick and creamy.