Technique
What is Ragù?
Pronounced /rah-GOO/
Definition
Ragù is a slow-simmered meat sauce built on soffritto, wine, and a small amount of tomato — not a tomato sauce with meat in it.
Ragù alla bolognese uses beef and pork, milk, white wine, and just a spoonful of tomato paste, simmered two to four hours. Neapolitan ragù keeps large cuts of meat whole in a heavier tomato base for even longer.
The tomato is a seasoning in a ragù. When tomato dominates, what you have is a sugo with meat in it.
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Serve sausage and peppers on a crusty hero roll, over creamy polenta, with orecchiette, or alongside roasted potatoes. Balance the richness with something sharp: a lemony arugula salad, giardiniera, or a glass of Chianti or Montepulciano.