Restaurant Beef Bolognese Sauce

Name: Restaurant Beef Bolognese Sauce
Total time: 120 min
Yield: Full batch from 5 kg beef; measure the finished yield
Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Ingredients: Meat & vegetables:; 5 kg beef mince; 2 kg carrots — Peeled and finely diced.; 2 heads celery — Washed and finely diced; record the trimmed weight.; 3 medium onions — Finely diced; record the trimmed weight.; 500 g leeks — Wash thoroughly and finely slice.; Sauce base:; 1 kg tomato paste — Concentrated purée, not passata.; 1 L red wine; 100 g garlic — Peeled and minced.; 200 g vegetable bouillon — Source quantity; check the product strength and salt level.; 100 g fresh basil leaves — Finely chop; reserve half for the end.; Finish:; 100 g gravy powder — Whisk with a little cold water according to its label before adding.; hot potable water — As needed for a simmerable sauce; measure and record the amount.

A substantial beef sauce with finely chopped vegetables, tomato paste, red wine and basil, written for batch cooking and consistent pasta service.

Time120 minLevelSee methodMakesFull batch from 5 kg beef; measure the finished yield

Illustrative photo: A bowl of beef ragù, shown as an illustrative serving of a meat sauce. Photo by Erikatrioschi, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. View source. This image illustrates the dish; it is not a photo of a kitchen-tested version of this recipe.

Behind the plate

Batch: Commercial batch.

Equipment: Heavy stockpot or bratt pan, about 25 L capacity, Blender, Large paddle, Food thermometer.

The recipe

Ingredients

Meat & vegetables:
5 kg beef mince
2 kg carrots — Peeled and finely diced.
2 heads celery — Washed and finely diced; record the trimmed weight.
3 medium onions — Finely diced; record the trimmed weight.
500 g leeks — Wash thoroughly and finely slice.
Sauce base:
1 kg tomato paste — Concentrated purée, not passata.
1 L red wine
100 g garlic — Peeled and minced.
200 g vegetable bouillon — Source quantity; check the product strength and salt level.
100 g fresh basil leaves — Finely chop; reserve half for the end.
Finish:

100 g gravy powder — Whisk with a little cold water according to its label before adding.

hot potable water — As needed for a simmerable sauce; measure and record the amount.

Method

1. Brown in batches: Heat the stockpot or bratt pan over medium-high heat. Brown the mince in batches, breaking it into small pieces. Allow excess moisture to evaporate; do not try to sear all 5 kg in a crowded pan.
2. Soften the vegetables: Return the beef to the pan with the carrots, celery, onions and leeks. Cook, stirring, for 10–15 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the garlic for 1 minute.
3. Cook out the paste: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add the wine and scrape up the browned cooking juices. Simmer for 3–5 minutes.
4. Build the sauce: Add half the basil. Dissolve the bouillon in a little hot water, following the product directions, and stir it in. Add further hot water only as needed to make a sauce that can simmer without catching. Record the total addition.
5. Simmer until tender: Simmer gently for about 45–75 minutes, stirring from the base. Keep the sauce loose enough to stir. Check the beef has reached 75°C and the vegetables are tender. Cooking time depends on the equipment and batch depth.
6. Thicken and balance: Whisk in the prepared gravy-powder slurry gradually. Cook for the time specified on the packet, until no powdery taste remains. Stir in the remaining basil and check seasoning before adding any extra salt.
7. Measure and portion: Weigh or measure the finished sauce and record the actual yield. Serve with pasta, or divide promptly into shallow containers for rapid cooling.

Chef’s notes

Finely and evenly dice the vegetables so the carrots soften at the same rate.
A 10% trial batch is a practical way to check bouillon strength and the amount of added water.
Editorial review: The source did not include water despite using 1 kg concentrated tomato paste. Water as needed is an editorial addition; record a tested quantity before publication.
Editorial review: The source claimed 9–10 L and 36–40 portions without a measured final yield. Those claims have been removed.
Editorial review: Cook time is now an estimate based on tender vegetables and a temperature check, rather than a fixed 30-minute simmer.
Storage: Serve immediately, keep hot at or above 63°C, or cool rapidly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours at 0–5°C. Follow a validated business shelf life; reheat only once to at least 70°C throughout.
Conditional allergens: Check wine for sulphites and bouillon/gravy powder for wheat, milk, soya and other declared allergens. Pasta or cheese adds its own allergens.

At the table

Allow roughly 200–250 g sauce per main-course pasta portion. Pasta and any cheese garnish are additional ingredients.