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Authentic Wagyu Ragù Bolognese

Serves 6-8

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Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 3–4 hours

This recipe is an elevated version of my grandmother’s traditional Bolognese sauce from Sardinia. By replacing standard beef with our own premium grass-fed Wagyu mince, the recipe gains an entirely new depth of flavor. The distinctive taste of this grass-fed Wagyu fat—or Wagyu-ko, as the Japanese call it—takes a classic 8/10 family heirloom and transforms it into an absolute 10/10 masterpiece.

Pasta

Ingredients

  • 1 kg Premium Fullblood Grass-Fed Wagyu Mince
  • 1 tbsp Wagyu Beef Tallow (used instead of oil to start the base with pure, stable flavour)
  • The Soffritto: 1 large onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks (all minced completely even and fine)
  • 1 glass (approx. 150ml) dry red wine
  • 2 tbsp double-concentrated tomato paste
  • 400g high-quality Italian tomato passata
  • 300ml whole milk (the traditional secret to tenderizing the meat and balancing acidity)
  • 200ml rich beef broth (or water , added as needed during the long simmer)
  • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • Rigatoni pasta and Parmigiano Reggiano, to serve

Method

The Flawless Base
  1. In a heavy-bottomed earthenware pot or a large cast-iron Dutch oven, melt the Wagyu Beef Tallow over medium-low heat.
  2. Stir in your finely minced onion, carrot, and celery. Sweat the vegetables gently for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are soft, translucent, and sweet, ensuring they don't take on too much dark colour.
Browning the Wagyu Mince
  1. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add your grass-fed Wagyu mince.
  2. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat apart thoroughly. Sauté the meat patiently until it is completely browned and begins to sizzle in its own rendered, buttery fats. Let the liquid evaporate entirely until you hear the meat lightly frying—this creates the essential caramelization (Maillard reaction) that anchors the sauce's deep flavour.
Sfumare (the glaze)
  1. Pour in the glass of wine, scraping up all the savory bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer until the alcohol has completely evaporated and the wine has reduced to nothing.
  2. Reduce the heat back to medium, create a small well in the centre of the meat, and add the tomato paste. Stir it into the meat and let it toast for 2 minutes until it turns a deep brick-red colour.
The Gentle Simmer (Set and Forget)
  1. Pour in the tomato passata and half of the whole milk. Stir everything together thoroughly and bring the ragù to a very gentle simmer.
  2. Turn the heat down to its absolute lowest setting. Cover the pot with a lid, leaving it just slightly ajar.
  3. Let the ragù simmer lazily for 3 to 4 hours. The sauce should barely bubble. Check on it every 30–40 minutes, adding a splash of beef broth if the sauce begins to look too thick or dry.
The Finish
  1. During the final 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the remaining whole milk. This binds the sauce together, giving it an incredibly creamy, luxurious texture that perfectly complements the rich profile of the Wagyu.
  2. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and a generous grind of black pepper.
How to Serve It

Skip the spaghetti—true Italian tradition demands a wide, porous pasta like rigatoni, which holds onto the rich, textured meat sauce flawlessly. Toss the pasta directly into the sauce with a splash of starchy pasta water over low heat for one minute until completely coated. Serve immediately with a generous snowstorm of finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Tips
Let it Rest for Maximum Depth

Just like a great slow cooked braise, a traditional Bolognese improves dramatically with time. If you prepare the ragù a day in advance and let it rest in the fridge overnight, the flavours of the Grass Fed Wagyu, wine, and aromatics will mature and meld together, delivering a much richer, more harmonious dish the next day.

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Authentic Wagyu Ragù Bolognese

Serves 6-8

Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 3–4 hours

This recipe is an elevated version of my grandmother’s traditional Bolognese sauce from Sardinia. By replacing standard beef with our own premium grass-fed Wagyu mince, the recipe gains an entirely new depth of flavor. The distinctive taste of this grass-fed Wagyu fat—or Wagyu-ko, as the Japanese call it—takes a classic 8/10 family heirloom and transforms it into an absolute 10/10 masterpiece.

Pasta

Ingredients

  • 1 kg Premium Fullblood Grass-Fed Wagyu Mince
  • 1 tbsp Wagyu Beef Tallow (used instead of oil to start the base with pure, stable flavour)
  • The Soffritto: 1 large onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks (all minced completely even and fine)
  • 1 glass (approx. 150ml) dry red wine
  • 2 tbsp double-concentrated tomato paste
  • 400g high-quality Italian tomato passata
  • 300ml whole milk (the traditional secret to tenderizing the meat and balancing acidity)
  • 200ml rich beef broth (or water , added as needed during the long simmer)
  • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • Rigatoni pasta and Parmigiano Reggiano, to serve

Method

The Flawless Base
  1. In a heavy-bottomed earthenware pot or a large cast-iron Dutch oven, melt the Wagyu Beef Tallow over medium-low heat.
  2. Stir in your finely minced onion, carrot, and celery. Sweat the vegetables gently for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are soft, translucent, and sweet, ensuring they don't take on too much dark colour.
Browning the Wagyu Mince
  1. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add your grass-fed Wagyu mince.
  2. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat apart thoroughly. Sauté the meat patiently until it is completely browned and begins to sizzle in its own rendered, buttery fats. Let the liquid evaporate entirely until you hear the meat lightly frying—this creates the essential caramelization (Maillard reaction) that anchors the sauce's deep flavour.
Sfumare (the glaze)
  1. Pour in the glass of wine, scraping up all the savory bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer until the alcohol has completely evaporated and the wine has reduced to nothing.
  2. Reduce the heat back to medium, create a small well in the centre of the meat, and add the tomato paste. Stir it into the meat and let it toast for 2 minutes until it turns a deep brick-red colour.
The Gentle Simmer (Set and Forget)
  1. Pour in the tomato passata and half of the whole milk. Stir everything together thoroughly and bring the ragù to a very gentle simmer.
  2. Turn the heat down to its absolute lowest setting. Cover the pot with a lid, leaving it just slightly ajar.
  3. Let the ragù simmer lazily for 3 to 4 hours. The sauce should barely bubble. Check on it every 30–40 minutes, adding a splash of beef broth if the sauce begins to look too thick or dry.
The Finish
  1. During the final 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the remaining whole milk. This binds the sauce together, giving it an incredibly creamy, luxurious texture that perfectly complements the rich profile of the Wagyu.
  2. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and a generous grind of black pepper.
How to Serve It

Skip the spaghetti—true Italian tradition demands a wide, porous pasta like rigatoni, which holds onto the rich, textured meat sauce flawlessly. Toss the pasta directly into the sauce with a splash of starchy pasta water over low heat for one minute until completely coated. Serve immediately with a generous snowstorm of finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Tips
Let it Rest for Maximum Depth

Just like a great slow cooked braise, a traditional Bolognese improves dramatically with time. If you prepare the ragù a day in advance and let it rest in the fridge overnight, the flavours of the Grass Fed Wagyu, wine, and aromatics will mature and meld together, delivering a much richer, more harmonious dish the next day.

Website: www.wildwoodhill.com.au | Email: info@wildwood.com.au | Phone: 0412 424 303