Okay! I’ve finally perfected my Tomato & Venison Bolognese recipe. It’s been a long time coming, tweaking things here and there. But I’ve finally done it! I present to you an easy meal that’ll be a hit for the whole family!
Serves: 4+/- – Cooktime: 45 minutes +/-
INGREDIENTS:
Meat:
- 1 lb Ground Venison (NOTE: if you do not have access to venison, ground beef works just fine)
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1/2 Lime, Juiced
- 1.5 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
- Few Shakes of Crushed Hot Red Pepper Flakes
Sauce & Pasta:
- 1/2 Large White Onion, Chopped
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, Chopped
- 2 Garlic Cloves, Finely Minced
- 1/2 Large Beefsteak Tomato, Diced
- 1-24 oz. Jar Tomato Sauce (I prefer either a tomato basil or spicy red pepper)
- 1-15 oz. Can Diced Tomatoes
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Granulated Sugar
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1/8 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2 tbsp Italian Seasoning
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp +/- Salt
- 1 tsp +/- Pepper
- Few Shakes of Crushed Hot Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, Minced
- 10 +/- Large Basil Leaves, Chiffonaded
- 1 lb Pasta
- OPTIONAL: Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Shredded
DIRECTIONS:
1.) Place medium cast iron frypan on medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and let come to temp. Add venison and let brown for 1-2 minutes. Add lime juice and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to coat meat with liquid. Add garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Let cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.
2.) Meanwhile, place a large saucepan on medium heat and add olive oil. Let come to temp and add onions and red pepper. Season with a dash of salt and pepper. Let cook, stirring occasionally for 5-6 minutes, or until tender. Add garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add can of diced tomatoes and freshly diced tomatoes to pan. Stir to avoid tomatoes from sticking. Let cook for 1-2 minutes. Add Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir to incorporate seasonings. Add jar of tomato sauce. After emptying jar, fill jar with 1 inch of water, cover, and swirl around to get all excess sauce out of jar, pour tomato-water into saucepan.
3.) Cover, and let come to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add tomato paste and sugar. Mix to incorporate. Add parsley, basil, and venison. Turn heat down to medium-low. Let simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add whipping cream to sauce at the 15 minute or so mark, stir to incorporate.
4.) Meanwhile, place a salted pot of water on the stove at high heat. When boiling, place desired pasta in water. Set timer according to pasta directions and stir occasionally to avoid pasta from cooking together.
5.) **This part is up to you** At this point you can either:
- Drain pasta and add to sauce, mixing thoroughly to combine.
- Drain pasta and keep separate from sauce. Place pasta back in empty pot and coat with 2 tbsp olive oil. Place pasta in dish first, and top with sauce.
6.) I usually like to keep my pasta separate from the sauce if I know there will be leftovers. This is because the pasta tends to suck up all the sauce and it’s left semi-dry the next day. If you mix together, this acts more like a chop suey.
7.) Top with freshly shredded parmesan cheese and a sprig of parsley, enjoy!
Dinner w/ the Dugans 