Menu

Chop 1 medium onion, 1 celery stalk, and 1 small carrot and pulse in a food processor until very finely chopped. If you don’t have a food processor you can finely chop by hand. Transfer to a small bowl.

Heat 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium. Break 1lb. ground beef chuck into small clumps (about 1½") and add to pot; season lightly with Kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally but not breaking meat apart, until beef is lightly browned but not crisp, 6–8 minutes. It may be grey in spots (that’s okay!) and still a little pink in the centre. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a medium bowl.

Wipe out pot. Cook 3 oz. of finely chopped pancetta in pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until pancetta has released some of its fat and is crisp, 6–8 minutes. (Jump ahead to the other prep items during these next few steps while the bolognese simmers!). Add onion mixture to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very soft and beginning to stick to surface, 6–8 minutes. 

Return beef to pot and pour in 1 cup dry white wine. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, smashing down on beef with a wooden spoon, until wine is evaporated, surface of pot is almost dry, and meat is finely ground, 12–15 minutes. (The meat should be reduced to what looks like little bits. It takes a bit of effort, but you can take breaks.) Add ⅓ cup tomato paste, 1 bay leaf, and 1 pinch of finely grated nutmeg and cook, stirring occasionally and still pressing down on meat, until tomato paste is slightly darkened, about 5 minutes.


Pour 2 cups of chicken stock and 1 cup whole milk into pot; add a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until meat is very, very tender, 2–2½ hours. There shouldn’t be any rapid bubbles at this stage. Instead, the sauce should release the occasional small bubble or two. When finished, the sauce should have the texture of and look like a sloppy joe mixture. If the liquid reduces before the meat is completely tender, add an extra ½ cup stock and continue cooking. Keep warm on low.