Big-Batch Bolognese Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, minced
1 carrot, peeled and minced
1/4 cup minced celery
1/4 teaspoon tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme (or 1/4 t. dried)
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
3 slices white bread, torn in to quarters
1 cup heavy cream
3 lbs ground beef (or meatloaf mix)
salt
pepper

Preparation

Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over med-high heat.
Add onion, carrot, celery, tomato paste, garlic, and thyme and cook until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 8-10 minutes.
Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to slow cooker.
Stir tomatoes in slow cooker.
Mash bread and heavy cream into paste in large bowl using fork.
Mix in meatloaf mix, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper using hands.
Stir meatloaf mixture into slow cooker, breaking up any large pieces.
Cover and cook until beef is tender, 9-11 hours on LOW or 5-7 hours on HIGH.
Let sauce settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from surface using large spoon.
Break up any remaining large pieces of meat with spoon.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Makes enough sauce for 3 lb. pasta.