Question about simmering sauces, I need some experts!

[wdw_dine_junkie]

I want to try this recipe for Bolognese sauce from Emeril:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_28747,00.html

When it says to simmer for 1 1/2 hours, is that covered or uncovered? Will it reduce if I cover it?

Also, can I drain the pan after browning the meat or will I lose too much flavor (ie fat, ha ha)

Thanks

If anyone has a better authentic bolognese recipe, please post!

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

Definitely drain the pan. Otherwise the sauce will get sort of greasy and oily. You want it soft and velvety.

Generally sauces of this sort simmer with the lid off. However, having said that keep in mind you're also dealing with tomatoes/tomato sauce, and if it gets a bit of bubble going you get it all over.

I don't know about you but I generally can't stand around the kitchen stove for that long just stirring the sauce down every couple of minutes to make sure it isn't spattering all over my kitchen! So what I do is give myself some extra time and set a lid over it but with the edge cracked open, or with my really big pot the vents open. I still stir it every so often to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Then in that last half hour or so when I'm right there getting the rest of things ready I take the lid off, stick the wooden spoon in and stir every couple of minutes.

This works great with all sorts of things from pasta sauces to chili. Obviously it won't work with a cream based sauce or rouxe based sauce but anything tomato based works great.

Deb

 

[wdw_dine_junkie]

Thanks so much, that makes perfect sense to me. I was hoping not to be chained to the stove stirring for hours. DH keeps bugging me to try and make a real bolognese like restaurants do that has the nutmeg in it. Emeril's recipe looked pretty close to what he is looking for. Thanks again!

I'm also glad I should drain the fat. Emeril is pretty big on pork fat, but I was concerned about having it be greasy. That's not too appetizing.

 

[aurora19]

If you decide that you like the sauce, you may want to invest in the fine mesh pot covers - they allow the steam to escape so a sauce will reduce but hold in the splatters so your stove doesn't end up a mess.

 

[wdw_dine_junkie]

Great idea, I hadn't thought of that! I have a screen that I use to drain ground beef and to cover bacon frying. That might do the trick.

Thanks!

Is it really important to find ground veal instead of using lean ground beef?