Back when I first started dating Jonathan, I really wanted to impress him. I guess I still do, but back then I was pulling out all the stops. This recipe for Four Hour Ragu was one of those extra special meals I made to try and impress him. When Jonathan first asked what that heavenly smell was filling the kitchen, I said “ragu.” but all he heard was Magoo and so we’ve been calling this dish “the Magoo” since then!
While I’m by no means an expert on Italian culture, ragu is a meat and tomato sauce that is usually served with pasta. I grew up calling this type of sauce bolognese, which is a type of ragu made in the Bologna region. Whichever you like to call is this fine by me.
I start out this recipe on the stove with a mixture of onion, carrot, and celery (AKA soffrito) and sautee it up with some bacon. The bacon not only lends fat for cooking but is a little saltiness and smokiness. I then add in some of our very own ground beef and a can of plain tomato sauce. Finally, I put it in the oven to cook for 3-4 hours. That gives the flavors time to meld and the meat time to become tender. That, of course, is where the name four-hour ragu comes from! I think this meal is best made on a lazy weekend afternoon as the weather started to get cooler.
Of course, you can serve this with pasta as is the time-honored tradition. But I’m not afraid to mix up my carbs. I usually eat this piled on a couple of big slices of garlic bread. Polenta also works well as a side dish here, too. Don’t forget a nice bottle of Italian red wine and you have yourself a perfect date night!
Check out some of my other meals and let me know what you guys think! https://hemingwaycollective.com/2021/08/26/chipotle-shrimp-salad-with-cilantro-lime-dressing/
