Jamie Oliver has revealed how he batch cooks ragu sauce for his family-of-seven as he continues to share lockdown-friendly recipes amid the pandemic.
The British chef, 44, took to his Instagram account to unveil what he called the 'perfect recipe for a rainy day', explaining that after cooking and freezing bags of the sauce, he could then use it forspaghetti bolognese, lasagne, chilli or cannelloni.
The father-of-five called it 'family-friendly' and 'easy and economical' - as well as admitting that it was a 'great way to sneak in extra vegetables for your kids at meal times'.
Jamie Oliver has revealed how he batch cooks ragu sauce for his family-of-seven as he continues to share lockdown-friendly recipes amid the pandemic
The British chef, 44, took to his Instagram account to unveil what he called the 'perfect recipe for a rainy day', explaining that after cooking and freezing bags of the sauce, he could then use it for spaghetti bolognese, lasagne, chilli or cannelloni
Sharing a video to his Instagram account, Jamie wrote: 'This is my classic family ragu.
'The perfect base for your favourite spaghetti bolognese, lasagne, chilli or cannelloni. Dead easy to knock up on a rainy day like today in big batches and freeze for another day! Anyone already have this on their list this week?'.
Jamie starts by adding chopped rosemary and smoky bacon to a sizzling pan with virgin olive oil.
He then adds a kilo of mince beef and a kilo of mince pork, adding: 'If budget is a real issue then you can replace half a kilo of beef with lentils, which is just as delicious.
The father-of-five called it 'family-friendly' and 'easy and economical' - as well as admitting that it was a 'great way to sneak in extra vegetables for your kids at meal times'
Jamie Oliver's family ragu recipe
Serves: 7 (multiple servings)
Cooking time: 2 hours
Ingredients
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 100 grams of smoked bacon
- 1 kg of mince beef (if budgeting replace half a kilo with lentils)
- 1 kg of mince pork
- Two onions
- Four carrots
- Four sticks of celery
- Tomato puree
- Four tins of plum tomatoes
- Four cans of water
Method
- Chop up the rosemary and backon
- Put a table spoon of virgin olive oil into a pan and turn it to full heat
- Add the rosemary and the bacon
- Add your mince beef and pork and stir
- Stir for 10 minutes until it's frying again
- Chop of blend your vegetables
- Add in and stir for another 10 minutes
- Add two tbsps of tomato pureeand tins of chopped tomatoes
- Add four cans of water and leave to simmer for 1- 2 hours
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Jamie started by adding bacon and rosemary to a pan, before frying two kilos of beef and pork meat for 20 minutes then adding tomato puree
'You'll start to see the water coming out so you need to stir it for about 10 minutes. Once you hear it sticking and sizzling that means flavour.'
He continues by chopping or blending carrots, onions and celery to the same size as the mince meat.
'Add two tablespoons of tomato puree for depth, along with four tins of chopped tomatoes', he says.
Concluding, he says: 'You're going to create the most wonderful, beautiful, robust ragu sauce'.
Jamie then blended carrots, celery and onions until they were the same size as the mince meat and added them to the pan
Concluding, he says: 'You're going to create the most wonderful, beautiful, robust ragu sauce'
Advising on storage options, he adds: 'We've made twice as much as we need, so possibly another 10 meals.
'You can bag it up and store it in your freezer for month, just run the bag under the tap and you can reheat it in the pan in minutes.
'When you bag it up don't forget to label it. Squeeze the air out and the thinner you can bag it up the quicker it will freeze - and the quicker you can reheat it.
'Let it go to room temperature then lay it in the freezer shelf flat, almost like a book shelf of edible meals'.
Jamie shares Poppy Honey Rosie, 18, Daisy Boo Pamela, age 17, Petal Blossom Rainbow, age 11, Buddy Bear Maurice, 9, and River Rocket, 3, with wife Jools.
'You can bag it up and store it in your freezer for month, just run the bag under the tap and you can reheat it in the pan in minutes,' Jamie says
Jamie shares Poppy Honey Rosie, 18, Daisy Boo Pamela, age 17, Petal Blossom Rainbow, age 11, Buddy Bear Maurice, 9, and River Rocket, 3, with wife Jools.
FAQs
Ragù is sauce and ragoût is stew
Ragoût is, first and foremost, a stew. It can be based on meat, fish, or vegetables, and is just as likely to be served on its own as it is to be used atop potatoes or pasta (via Food & Wine).
Why cook ragu so long? ›
It does make a difference. It will be palatable after simmering for 30 minutes, but there will not be the best 'marriage'. The longer amount of cooking time enables the ingredients to better create the ultimate ragu alla bolognese flavor.
How to make Ragu tastier? ›
There are few secrets, but the main is…you need to work on it!
- Use the right cut of meat - “Beef” is too generic. ...
- Bacon - you need some; don't use smoked.
- Tomato - not too much; peeled tomatoes are OK, but be careful: water is the enemy of ragù! ...
- Keep the meat separate - the first thing to do is p.
In terms of etymology, the term ragù stems from the French ragoût, which is in turn derived from “ragouter”, meaning to “add flavour” or “awake the appetite”. Ragoût is a seasoned meat stew that was brought to Italy by Napoleonic soldiers in 1796.
What makes Ragu taste better? ›
Pungent fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, sage, tarragon, and marjoram can liven up tomato sauce with their bold, distinctive flavors. Add 1 to 2 sprigs of one or more of them to your favorite sauce, cover, and simmer at least 5 minutes to allow them to infuse in the sauce. Remove the sprigs before serving.
What is the best cut of meat for a ragu? ›
If you want to cut the meat yourself, get cuts like chuck or flank steak, as per the Bolognese tradition, or even a skirt steak (the diaphragm, practically impossible to find at the butchers). The same goes for pork: choose pieces like the thigh which are fatty and tasty.
Why do Italians put milk in ragu? ›
According to our Food Director Amira, not only does milk add a rich flavour to the bolognese, but it also “helps cut through the acidity of the tomatoes and red wine”.
Should Bolognese sauce be cooked with lid on or off? ›
Leave on low to simmer for 15-20 minutes minimum, lid off if you prefer a thicker sauce. This can be left for 60-90 minutes or longer but place a lid on to avoid reducing too much. If you're using dark chocolate or chilli, stir in 5 minutes before serving.
Should you simmer with lid on or off? ›
You can simmer with the cookware lid on or off, simply follow your recipe instructions. Keep in mind that when using a cover, you'll want to set your stovetop to a low setting as it can reach a simmer faster than without a cap. When you're not using a lid, adjust your stovetop setting to medium.
How do you add depth to ragu? ›
Too often, tomato paste is regarded as a bad cook's crutch, but when it is handled correctly, it adds real depth to a ragu. The trick is to add it slowly, stirring it into the sauce and letting it caramelize and brown thoroughly. The color should be brick, not bright red.
A little sugar can make the rest of the flavors shine a little brighter, akin to adding vanilla to a chocolate cake. The goal is to amplify the natural sweetness of the tomatoes, not to turn the sauce sugary, so start with a pinch and work up if needed.
Why does my ragu taste bitter? ›
A few things can cause tomato sauces to become bitter: Overcooked spices. Both basil and oregano can become bitter with long simmers. Add them near the end of the process.
Do Italians eat ragù? ›
In Italian cuisine, ragù (Italian: [raˈɡu], from French ragoût) is a meat sauce that is commonly served with pasta. An Italian gastronomic society, Accademia Italiana della Cucina, documented several ragù recipes.
What's the difference between a ragù and a bolognese? ›
Even though both are considered meat sauces and are thusly chunky, ragù is more like a thick tomato sauce with recognizable bits of ground beef within it. Bolognese, though, is creamier and thicker because it is made with milk. It is not considered to be a tomato sauce.
Do Italians use ragù? ›
Italian Tradition
Ragù is also a main ingredient in another essential recipe in Italian cuisine, lasagna. These layers of pasta covered with ragù and bechamel sauce cannot be forgotten once tasted.
What sauce is the same as ragù? ›
If you think these sauces are very similar, you are right. Bolognese sauce is actually a form of ragù, meaning that they both start from the same basic recipe. In fact, Bolognese's official name is ragù alla bolognese or, in English, Bologna-style ragù.
What is difference between ragù and Bolognese? ›
Even though both are considered meat sauces and are thusly chunky, ragù is more like a thick tomato sauce with recognizable bits of ground beef within it. Bolognese, though, is creamier and thicker because it is made with milk. It is not considered to be a tomato sauce.
What's the difference between a ragù and a sauce? ›
What is Ragu? One of the most common misconceptions about Ragu here in the United States is that it must be a tomato sauce. While a lot of the sauces called ragu are tomato sauces, the defining characteristic is actually that it's an Italian meat sauce, not that it's a tomato sauce.
What do Italians call ragù? ›
Here's the gist: the two ways Italians say “sauce” in Italian are salsa and/or sugo. Both words translate as “sauce” but never as “gravy.” Ragù doesn't even translate as “gravy” but comes close enough since it involves meat which is what people really mean when they say “gravy” (my personal opinion).
