gtwy

Venison-Beef Meat Sauce

For 500g Pasta
Yield: 6+ hearty adult portions (with leftovers)
Prep Time: ~20 minutes
Cook Time: 70–100 minutes

This is not a "totally from scratch" sauce as I am using jarred Labriola's marinara sauce as my base. For those not in my area, Labriola's is a local Italian market that makes their own sauce using high quality Italian ingredients.

Ingredients

Meat Mixture:

  • 2 lb ground venison (deer), very lean
  • 1 lb ground chuck (85% beef)
  • 1½ tablespoons salt (total for the meat)
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper (ground)

Sauce & Aromatics:

  • 2 jars (32 fl oz each) Labriola marinara sauce
  • 1 large sweet onion, finely diced
  • 5 large garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ cup dry Italian red wine
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Pasta:

  • 500 g pasta noodles (rigatoni, pappardelle, or similar recommended)
  • 1½ tablespoons salt (for pasta water)

Instructions

  1. Season the meat

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the 2 lb ground venison and 1 lb ground chuck with 1½ tablespoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper.

  1. Brown the meat

Heat a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned meat (in two batches if needed). Break it up well with a wooden spoon.
Cook until nicely browned, about 10–14 minutes. If it becomes too dry or sticks badly, add a small splash of red wine to loosen.

  1. Build the flavor base

Push the browned meat to one side. Add the diced sweet onion and cook for 5–7 minutes until softened.
Stir in the 5 minced garlic cloves and 2 tablespoons tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

  1. Deglaze and combine

Pour in ½ cup dry Italian red wine. Let it bubble and reduce for 2–3 minutes while scraping up any browned bits.
Add the 2 jars of Labriola marinara sauce, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Stir everything together thoroughly.

  1. Simmer the sauce

Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Partially cover and simmer for 60–90 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Add a splash of water or wine if the sauce becomes too thick.

  1. Cook the pasta (start this around the 45–60 minute mark of simmering)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1.5 tablespoons salt.
Cook the 500 g pasta to al dente (1–2 minutes less than package directions).
Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining.

  1. Finish and serve

Remove any remaining bits if needed. If the sauce is thicker than desired, stir in a little reserved pasta water.
Toss the drained pasta with the meat sauce. Serve immediately with grated Parmesan on top.

Additional Tips

  • The longer simmer helps tenderize the lean venison and meld all the flavors.
  • This recipe freezes well.
  • Because no extra fat was added, the natural fat from the ground chuck carries the dish.