Bison Ragu

What's better than a tasty and healthy bison ragu served over your favorite type of pasta?

Bison is a great source of vitamin B12, zinc, iron, selenium, and omega-3 fatty acids. It's also lower in saturated fatty acids than beef. And if you get it sourced from a place like Force of Nature, it is great for a sustainable environment.

But beyond all that ragu is a great way to use meats that can typically be tougher. Whenever I'm working with very lean meat, my first thought is to braise it. Just like my Authentic Bolognese recipe and my Italian Short Ribs with Gnocchi, this bison ragu is a great way to start braising meat. You don't HAVE to use bison either. This works well with lamb, elk, beef, and sausage. And if you don't have 3 hours, try my Quick Lamb Ragu!

We never had sauce without meat when we were growing up. Every sauce my dad made was a ragu of sorts. He always said the secret to the sauce is the meat. A good sauce always has meat. I agree with him. Meat in the sauce is a cheat code. The meat is always going to develop the sauce into some great flavors.

There's a little more to it than just the meat though. Simmering the meat in the red wine, having the right ratio of vegetables, and caramelizing the tomato paste. All of these little nuances will help develop your sauce-making skills into a phenomenal sauce that you're family will love.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground bison
• ¼ lb chopped pancetta
• 1 lb rigatoni or other pasta
• 1 28 oz can whole plum tomatoes
• 1 cup red wine
• ¾ cup chopped carrots, about 2 carrots
• ¾ cup chopped celery, about 2 celery stalks
• 1 cup chopped onion, about one medium onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp EVOO
• 1 handful basil

Substitutions and Ingredient Notes

Bison. Yes, this is Bison Ragu. But, you can substitute any red meat here and it will work all the same!

Whole Plum Tomatoes. You can substitute crushed tomatoes or sieved tomatoes. I just prefer whole plum tomatoes over crushed, but sieved tomatoes would go great in this sauce.

EVOO. Use a high-quality EVOO like Partanna. I always recommend them whenever I'm working with anything olive oil-related.

Red Wine. Always use a decent red wine and a dry red wine. Never use the cheap stuff. You will taste it in the end product. If you don't like the taste when you drink it, you won't like the taste when you eat it!

How to Make Bison Ragu

The best part about making Ragu is the amazing aroma that will permeate your house for hours. It smells almost as good as it tastes!

Pancetta and Vegetables

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven on medium heat, add pancetta and fry until golden brown, stirring often. You want all sides of the pancetta to be golden brown. Once golden brown, use a slotted spoon to remove from the oil. Leave the small amount of oil behind and add 2 tablespoon of EVOO to it. Then stir in the onion, celery, and carrots. Add a pinch of salt and stir. Saute the vegetables until soft and the onions translucent. Stir in the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes.

Browning the Bison

We'll add the bison, directly to the vegetables. Break apart the bison with a spoon. Add a pinch of salt. Cook until just browned, stirring often. There will be some liquid that builds up in the pot. That's normal, just keep stirring and it will evaporate. Add the tomato paste once the bison is browned and stir throughout. Allow it to cook and caramelize for 2-3 more minutes. Then add the red wine and bring it to a simmer. Simmer until the red wine is almost completely absorbed. It will take about 6-8 minutes.

Simmering the Sauce

Using your hands or an immersion blender, crush the plum tomatoes. Pour into the sauce and return the sauce to a simmer. Add the pancetta, basil, and a pinch of salt. Simmer the sauce for 2-3 hours on low heat slightly covered. If you notice it starts getting too dry and a little bit of water. Stir every 15 minutes or so to keep the bottom of the sauce from burning.

Sauce to Pasta

In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add salt and your pasta. Boil as directed. Add ½ cup of pasta water to the ragu and stir. Then add your pasta to the sauce and stir until combined. Serve with pecorino romano cheese! And a big crusty loaf of Italian bread.

How to reheat Bison Ragu?

In a small saucepan add the ragu. If it already is mixed with pasta, that's fine too. Add it to the pan and bring to medium heat. Add a bit of water and EVOO to loosen the sauce up and heat all the way through.

Ragu is one of my favorite dishes! If you made this dish and enjoyed it, please come back and leave a rating below! I love to hear about what you think of our dishes. Here are some other dishes you may enjoy below!

📖 Recipe