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My bolognese takes most of one afternoon, but it is worth it. 3 days? Gimme a break.

I've got to agree with Kenji -- although this recipe sounds good, it does sound more like a version of Italian-American gravy than Bolognese sauce. From the introduction to the recipe in Italian Classics, by the editors of Cook's Illustrated (Boston Common Press, 2002): "Unlike meat sauces in which tomatoes dominate... Bolognese sauce is about the meat, with the tomatoes in a supporting role. Bolognese also differs from many tomato-based meat sauces in that it contains dairy -- butter, milk, and/or cream. The dairy gives the meat an especially sweet, appealing flavor."

I make Bolognese sauce often. My everyday version is based on Marcella Hazan's in the revised edition of Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, and my fancy recipe is from The Complete Book of Pasta by Jack Denton Scott (Galahad Books, 1968). Hazan and Clark both use nutmeg as a key flavor (in small amounts), and they do not brown the meat, either. They also use white wine, not red. And there is NO garlic. Clark adds some mushrooms and chopped chicken liver. Either of these recipes takes about 3 or 4 hours from start to finish. When it's done to my liking, the sauce is salmon-colored. If it's red, I've used too much tomato or too little cream.

Interestingly, the recipe in The Sliver Spoon (touted on its cover as "the bible of authentic Italian cooking") uses butter but no milk or cream. In The Food of Italy, Waverly Root describes Bolognese ragu as "an unctuous blend of onions, carrots, finely chopped pork and veal, butter, and tomato." He adds that ragu is often richer than his description of the basic recipe, and I suspect the richness comes from liberal use of milk and/or cream. I usually use both -- adding milk toward the beginning, after I've taken the redness out of the meat but without browning it, and a bit of cream just before serving.

@mr guy - LOL this was my first thought too!
I bet each and every difficult and time consuming step is recognized in each bite! mmmmmmmmm
cant wait to make a batch this weekend!

I don't know if I am reading this recipe wrong but... when cutting the meat to marinade it states to cut the brisket along the grain in 2" pieces,(I'm thinking in strips) it does not say to cube the meat(which the author did) which would be much smaller pieces and much harder to fish out each time. Anyone?

Anyone who thinks a 3 day bolognese is worth the effort is welcome to come to my house anytime they like. I'll even buy the wine.

If you think this is impractical, try the Heston Blumenthal recipe. It takes a long time, but it changed my life.

I agree with schwerine. 3 days!!?? I mean I am all about a nice meal, but 3 days to prepare that meal is a bit (3 days) much.

With apologies to Mark Peel, there isn't a lot of science that suggests a 12-24 hour wine bath would do much for the brisket or veggies (check experiments done by Cook's Illustrated or Harold McGee). In fact, as the recipe notes, it means you have to dry everything thoroughly before browning.

Plus, I prefer ragu bolognese recipes that start with milk :-)

I prefer the BBQ that my family members cook the best, but I am open to trying recommended BBQ restaurants, too.

Corky's in Memphis garrettsambo@aol.com

Went to Memphis and had some Corky's BBQ! Dry rub, at that! Yum!

The best barbecue I've ever eaten was at my friend's house.