Beef Bolognese with Roasted Garlic, Basil, Parsley Banner Butter

Recipe Title: Beef Bolognese
Total Prep Time: 20 – 30 minutes
Total Cook Time:   3 – 3 ½ hours
Servings: 8 servings
Level of Difficulty: 5 (Levels 1-5, with 5 being the most difficult

Recipe by Brandyn Baker @blackdog_bbq

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 2 sweet onions, chopped
• 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 5 TBS Roasted Garlic, Basil, Parsley Banner Butter
• 6 oz. (~6 slices) bacon, minced
• 2 C white wine
• 2/3 C tomato paste
• 3 bay leaves
• ¼ TSP nutmeg
• 4 C chicken stock
• 2 C whole milk
• 1 lb. pappardelle pasta, dry
• 1 C parmesan cheese + more to taste
• Basil leaves to garnish

Tools:

• Dutch Oven
• Chef’s Knife
• Mixing bowls
• Measuring cups
• Oven or propane burner
• Tongs
• spatula
• Paper towels
• Food processor
• Large pot 
• Colander

Bolognese Procedure:

1. Add the onions, carrots, and celery to a food processor and pulse a few times until finely chopped. Pour the vegetables into a mixing bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. 
2. Open the package of ground beef, and add the beef to a mixing bowl, breaking the meat into small clumps. Discard the package and season the beef lightly with salt. 
3. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to a Dutch oven and place over medium-high heat. Once the pot becomes hot, add the ground beef and cook for 8-10 minutes until the beef begins to brown, stirring as needed. Transfer the meat back to a mixing bowl and set aside (the beef doesn’t need to be fully cooked at this stage. If it’s still pink in spots that is fine). Gently pat the pot with paper towels to soak up any excess grease and discard. 
4. Add the bacon to the same Dutch oven and cook until the bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes. At this stage, add the vegetable mixture from earlier and sauté until tender, 8-10 minutes.
5. Add the beef and wine into the Dutch oven, making sure to break the beef up into little bits. Allow the beef mixture to cook uncovered for around 20-30 minute, until almost all the liquid has evaporated (stirring as needed). Once this has been achieved, add the tomato paste, nutmeg, and bay leaves and combine. Continue cooking the beef mixture for another 5-10 minutes until the tomato paste begins to darken.
6. Pour chicken stock & milk into the Dutch oven with the beef mixture and reduce the heat to low. Allow the sauce to cook uncovered for 1 ½ – 2 hours until the sauce thickens (it should be very thick at this stage. If it becomes too thick for your taste, add 1 cup chicken stock and continue to reduce until desired consistency is achieved). 
7. Add parmesan cheese to the sauce and mix to combine. Taste the sauce and season with salt if needed. Turn the burner off and set the sauce aside. 

Pasta Procedure:

1. Fill a large pot halfway up with water and place over high heat. Once the water begins to boil, add the pappardelle and cook for 8-10 minutes. Once the pasta has finished, pour the pasta into a colander in a sink to drain the liquid. 
2. Add the pasta back to the pot and add the remaining butter. Mix with a ladle until the butter has melted and evenly spread throughout the pappardelle. 

To Finish:

1. Add the prepared pasta into the Dutch oven and mix with the sauce until combined.
2. Using tongs, plate the beef, Bolognese. Top with more parmesan cheese and a basil leaf if desired.
3. Butter your baguette with our Roasted Garlic Basil Parsely Butter! Enjoy!