So, I just thought of two really good reasons why this isn’t
way more popular. The recipe takes you a good 10 hours to make. In case you
haven’t heard, this is roughly 9.9 hours longer than your typical Millennial is
willing to spend doing something.
As I suggest in the video, cut them one or two at a time,
near a breezy window, while you brown the meat, and you’ll be done in no time.
Once everything is prepped, the recipe couldn’t be easier. Simmer until the
meat and onions melt into each other, and serve. I really hope you give this
very old, virtually unknown, but very tasty meat sauce a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for enough sauce for 2 pounds of dry rigatoni (8
servings):
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces pancetta or salt pork, diced
2 1/2 pounds beef chuck, seasoned with 2 teaspoons kosher
salt
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrot
1 rounded tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
2/3 cup white wine
4 pounds yellow onions, sliced
2 pounds red onions, sliced
water or broth as needed to adjust liquid level during
simmering
salt to taste
-- To serve, simmer finished sauce with al dente pasta for a
few minutes until pasta is cooked through. Finish with fresh marjoram, cayenne,
and grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
71 comments:
Hey chef john! This looks like yet another amazing recipe to try. However I don't eat pork (not vegetarian though), is there any pancetta alternative I could use to still include that flavour? Thanks!
Hi John,
Would this also work in a crock pot? Knowing me, I'd forget it was on the stove!
Assuming liquid level issues = a splash of stock?
So the plan would be to make a huge batch and freeze in portions, reheating and finishing with the pasta as desired?
Is this suitable for freezing? Thinking I could make a big pot of it, freeze it in individual portions and get them out when I need a quick meal.
Great recipe as always, dear Chef John. I usually like to cook my pasta directly into the genovese, adding a splash of water if needed. Can i use beef ribs and/or tail instead of chuck?
I wonder if this could be adapted to allow for slow cooker after the browning and deglazing?
Looks awesome! 2 questions:
1. Could you finish in a slow cooker?
2. When done, could you can it in a pressure canner?
Another spectacular looking recipe, Chef! I'm trying to compose a few recipes for my newlywed friends, but they want them adjusted for their new crock pot (you know, newlyweds and their slow cookers) so provided I browned everything ahead of time, could it then be transferred to a crock pot for the 8 to 10 hours? Thanks
Could this be transferred to a slow cooker for the 8-10 hours of simmering? Or is it better to save this for a day I can be at home all day to babysit it? Thank you!!
Dear slow cooker people,
I'm not a fan, but a crock pot would work for the simmering part.
Also, there is no sub for pancetta.
what? thought you forgot the cayenne, but you came through with the presentation.........dish saved!!
A food wish that I didn't know that I had! Thanks, CJ!
I don't have the attention span to wait for 8+ hours and usually start drinking as I prepare a meal. Such a long cooking time would mean that I would be too drunk to enjoy the food when eventually ready so, would this recipe be suitable for a pressure cooker? I am a new convert to pressure cooking and would like to know how long I would need to cook this under pressure to produce a meal this delicious.
But what if my Beringer japanese mandolin is the sharpest blade I own?
Can this be refrigerated after the deglazed part overnight, and then simmered for the 8 hours the next day?
Mine is boiling on the stove now. Smells so yummy I cannot fall asleep! Thinking about using shaved Gruyere in addition to Parm-Regi. Cannot wait til I try tomorrow!
Thanks, Chef John, you save my marriage! God bless!!
what to do with left over tomato paste. Always just a tbl spoon or less. What to do with the left over. I always end up throwing it away. What does Chef John do?
besides using the red onion what would you recommend using for the other onions (brown,yellow,white,sweet) and does it matter the ratio between red and other.
thanks
This brought a tear to my eye when I tasted it. Chef, I browned my onions separately till well caramelized - then added a touch of marmite to the onions and tomato paste to pique. Heavenly.... Thank you!
What about pressure cooker, a la Kenji's recipe for French Onion Soup: http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/01/the-food-lab-pressure-cooker-caramelized-onions-onion-soup.html
?
Sorry, can't comment on pressure cooker, as I'm a creature of habit, and rarely use. However, If you have one, and like to use it, use it!
Never buy tomato paste in a can! Buy the one in the tube, and you never waste!
For those who use canned paste, line an ice cube tray with plastic wrap and freeze the remainder of the can in one tbsp. portions. Once frozen, trim the plastic wrap around the cubes and transfer them to a zip lock freezer bag. Then whenever you need some, just take out a cube and toss it in. I do the exact same thing with chicken stock and it makes life a lot easier.
Hey Chef. Can this recipe be halved easily or for it to work properly do you need to do the full thing?
Thanks and keep up the good work
Chef John, how would this work with pork shoulder?
Can't wait to try this. Do you think this would work in a pressure cooker? If so, how much time do you think it will take?
Hey Chef John. I'm a big fan and love the recipe. Normally I'm not one to ask about substitutes; however, I was curious if it's ever acceptable to substitute white wine with red wine? Is there a rule of thumb as to when to use one over the other (or when either is acceptable)? This dish seemed kind of like a braisey red wine kind of dish, so I was surprised when you busted out the white wine(maybe I'm being too french). Thanks a ton for the great recipe.
Hey Chef John. I'm a big fan and love the recipe. Normally I'm not one to ask about substitutes; however, I was curious if it's ever acceptable to substitute white wine with red wine? Is there a rule of thumb as to when to use one over the other (or when either is acceptable)? This dish seemed kind of like a braisey red wine kind of dish, so I was surprised when you busted out the white wine(maybe I'm being too french). Thanks a ton for the great recipe.
I made this today for my family and they loved it! Thank you so much, this is a keeper. I always trust your recipes as they always turn out
delicious.
You are so smart "SMRT"
Hi Chef John.
This dish looks fantastic!
Don't worry, I am NOT going to ask about ingredient substitutions or alternative cooking methods, etc., but I do have but one question:
Do you see a problem with stretching the simmering over two days?
For instance, can I begin this on a Saturday by cooking 4 or 5 hours, letting it cool and refrigerate overnight and returning it to the stove within enough time to serve for a Sunday meal? I would think that would be fine but just wanted to run it by you.
Thanks!
Hi chef john. how would this be if it was made over the weekend, froze then thawed out to serve later in the week?
The key to a perfect pasta alla genovese are the onions. Traditionally you use cipolle Ramata di Montoro (copper onions). Those onions are sweeter than white onions and have their own flavor profile. Sadly, you won't get the real Napoli taste without them. If you want to make the traditional version of this dish use beef shank instead of beef chuck and use a pasta called ziti. Break the ziti by hand before you cook them.
Source: uncle-in-law is a chef from Napoli.
Chef John, what cut of Chuck?
Just made this exactly as described, the result was really delicious.
Thanks again Chef!
I made a bach yesterday, it really is nice, so nice I had it again today for lunch but with cheesy mash, that works as well
This is a great recipe.
I substituted in wild boar for the beef and it was pretty much life changing.
I've been drooling over this recipe for days and finally had a chance to make it Sunday. Truly amazing. Friends came over and we dipped chunks of bread into this heavenly goodness while it cooked. Highly recommended.
In using a slow cooker for the long slow simmer, I'm guessing that the lid should be off during that 9-10 hour stretch?
Another great recipe. I didn't have wine and I forgot to buy pancetta at the store so I used bacon instead. I also didn't have all day to cook it so I threw the top on my stockpot and threw it in the oven for four hours. This is an absolutely delicious recipe, I will make it again with pancetta and wine this time, of course.
Loved it! Amazing depth of flavor from relatively few and inexpensive ingredients. I forgot the two longitudinal cuts in my onions but they ended up breaking down just fine. The pancetta was ore-packaged and finely diced so I don't think I got the flavor from it that I should have. Next time I'll go to the deli counter and get a thick piece to cut up myself. I'm a huge fan of your recipes and entertaining commentary.
I made this this past weekend and it was quite good. A couple comments, though... first, it was SUPER heavy. I wasn't really able to skim any grease off while cooking - not sure if this was due to using thin-sliced pancetta - but it resulted in a dish so heavy, I could only eat about half as much of it as we would be to eat another pasta dish. Additionally, while very good and rich, was that it is kinda just one note. It tasted like (very good!) pot roast pasta. I was trying to think of another flavor/ingredient that could be added that would add another layer. Perhaps a dollup of ricotta on top although that would make it even heavier. In either case, thanks again for the video!
I LOL'ed at 8:27. Can't wait to try this. Thanks, Chef! I've loved every recipe I've tried from you.
Hey! I'm squarely in the millenial age range and I babysat this for all ten hours! Also, you have helped me score major points with my GF. Thanks Chef John!
I used beef chuck. The beef is not breaking down as shown in your video. Meat is very tough. Do not know why beef is not as tender as shown in your video
keep cooking!!!! it can't stay tough! It will eventually fall apart! never stop until it's tender! good luck!
Hey Chef,
Just gave this recipe a shot. Finished the two thirty minute periods of simmering on medium heat and now I have about an eighth of an inch of burnt black sludge in the bottom of my pot. I wonder if I had low moisture onions or something? I do live in a dry climate (Colorado) and I suppose it's possible my electric stove top is hotter than your gas flame on 'medium' heat. I know I had enough onions in the pot (I used 5 yellow and 3 red, all medium-large). I'm using a really good heavy-bottom pot too.
Can I make this in my 3qt Dutch oven?
This sounds like a recipe I really need to try.
I'd up the wine to at least 1 cup and omit the tomato paste.
Thanks for sharing, Chef.
To be quite honest this one didnt really click with me. It was really heavy (perhaps all the pancetta) and even after 10 hours of cooking, the structure wasnt all that smooth, but mostly it lacked flavour in my opinion. I would prefer adding a bouquet garni of some sort and perhaps red wine instead of the white, to make it more aromatic, this was very much like an oily beef meatcan.
Made it with beef cheeks instead of beef chuck (they're cheap and easy to find around here), basil instead of marjoram, and Gruyère instead of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Good stuff.
Chef John,
Could I use a nice beer in substitution for the white wine?
Also, you are DA MAN!!
Best,
Keenan
I have just tried this recipe and it was very delicious!
Very different taste from a "traditional" meat sauce, and well worth the time it takes to make this. But it is worth noticing that this is not something you can leave on the stove on its own for hours. I have to add about 3/4-1 cup of liquid per hour. I use a mixture of chicken and viel broth to keep the liquid level high enough to early cover the meat and onions. Only at the very end did I reduce the liquid level down to a "meat sauce" consistency.
I also ended up using a whisk at the very end to break up the meat into a fine pieces.
All in all well worth the time if you plan to stay at home all day anyway so you can look after the liquid level for 9-10 hours :-)
Chef John,
This looks wonderful. I am a big fan of my pressure cooker, and this strikes me like a good candidate for using it. Is there any reason it would not work? Seems like a good way to cut down on the time for this sauce.
Best,
Brandon
Your biggest food fan who lives in Rwanda.
This was fantastic. I even forgot to add the marjoram and cayenne, and we didn't even notice.
I will put my head in the lion's mouth and suggest that if you're put off by all the hand-slicing of onions, use your food processor! I know Chef John says it's a no no, but I totally forgot this instruction and I have a hard time imagining it coming out better.
Hey CJ,
maybe a somewhat unorthodox approach...
I made the sauce - amazing, btw, thank you! - and had it with pasta. Made a big batch, froze the rest.
Thawed it, but I am in a bit of a low carb mood at the moment...so i cleaned and halved a bunch of Brussels sprouts, braised them in the sauce and topped with parmiggiano...holy f*****g a**crackers!
kind of a cabbagy, gnocchi sized...brussels gnocchi?...in a heavenly sauce!
Thank you Chef for you recipes and the inspirations: they inspire!
Toodles!
Chef John, I love your videos -- I've learned more about cooking from you than anybody! One suggestion -- it would be a great help if you told us what size pots you're using in your videos. To answer one of the posters above, I found that the ingredients barely fit in a 5-quart Dutch oven, so if you use a 3-quart, you'll definitely have to add the onion in stages.
I did this step by step...with one twist...two chicken livers. OMG! With a pinch of cayenne that someone forgot about (Chef John!). Sex in all the right and wrong ways this dish is.
I made this for Valentine's Day and it was incredible! I didn't plan my time well and only simmered it for 6 hours. It was great, but next time (because there will be many more next times!) I will simmer for the full 10 hours.
When I first tasted this I cried. It tasted exactly like my Nonna's stew she would put on top of polenta. I am so happy to have found a perfect sensory memory of her. Thank you Chef John!
Thanks for the recipe Chef. I made some adjustments, but that was me cooking.
For anyone wondering if this freezes, my third or fourth batch is currently on the stove and I'm here to tell you that it freezes like a champ! Tastes great and there's no real textural difference that I can tell.
I do let it reduce a little harder than I might normally so it'll be rehydrated with pasta water, but otherwise I make it just as written.
For those asking about making this in a slow cooker, BEWARE! I tried it for 10 hours on low but the onions weren't cooked enough for my liking. You may want to try for the same amount on high, stirring occasionally. Better yet, if your slow cooker has a browning setting (like my Cuisinart Multi-Cooker), let the onions get a head start for about an hour or two on that setting, stirring every 15 minutes.
This would probably be pretty great in a pressure cooker, and you'd only need about 1/3 the cooking time.
The meat sauce is simmering now, can't wait to taste it! Thank you, Chef John, I really enjoy cooking with you :D
I just started making this an hour ago and it already smells amazing. I'm not sure how I'm going to make it another 9 hours.
Made it this weekend. Delicious though surprisingly sweet. I guess that many onions do that. Worked well for a party of eight. Curious how much liquid if any people added, I did about a cup.
Hello Chef! I am all Napolitan and have never heard of this onion beef dish. We were in an Italian restaurant and the owner (also Napolitan) was telling me about it. I googled it and after reading many recipes yours sounded most like what she told me. I have to say this is one of the most incredibly delicious meals I have ever had!! I followed your recipe exactly and watched the video a few times and this is one phenomenal meal. The depth of flavor is unbelievable! I used my LeCreuset oval dutch oven, cooked it the full 8 hours - 5 hrs the first day, 3 hrs the next morning-- and I did add more liquid because I like the ziti covered. Making it for the 4th time this weekend for guests. Thank you so much for this authentic flavorful recipe!
Do you add water as it evaporates??
Thank you chef John, we had a beautiful Christmas dinner compliments of this recipe! Cheers brother! https://photos.app.goo.gl/F5HHjgSXNybDptfv5
I tried this a few months ago and it was awesome - definitely something I had never tasted before. Will repeat tomorrow for some visitors (will have to start early in the morning to be able to get it done for dinner!)
Chef John,
In so many recipes I see the use of tomato paste from a tube. Is there any particular reason this variety is so popular?
I've always bought small cans of paste, then reserved the leftover portion in a small container in the refrigerator for later use.
I immensely enjoy your YouTube channel, and wonderfully expanded my cooking skills. You should be receiving a Thank You card from my cardiologist soon!
Thank you for sharing your ideas and skills , thank yo for enriching my kitchen skills, and thank you for your time and kind consideration.
If ever you are in Detroit, feel free to reach out; I'd love to treat you to lunch and one of the areas incredible restaurants.
Kind regards, Sir.
-Tim B.
Very impressed with this recipe. Made it yesterday using Vadallia onions that came into season today at my local market. I used 5.5 lbs of onions and 2.5 lbs of trimmed chuck and cooked it for 9 hours. I served it with Dececco rigatoni and it was incredible. I thought it may be too sweet but a little addition of crushed chiles fixed that. I live alone so I was able to portion out 3 more servings to freeze. Going to try it with the gnocchi romano.
Thank you,
Chef John, Great job!
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