Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy 8-quart Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid
• •Two forks for shredding meat
• •Large pot for pasta

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the onions

   Slice all the onions in half through the root, then slice each half into thin half-moons. This will take time. You will cry. Accept this. The pile will seem absurd, nearly overflowing your largest bowl. This is correct.

   Yellow onions are traditional. Do not substitute sweet onions like Vidalias. They lack the depth that develops over hours of cooking. You want onions that start sharp and end sweet.
2. 2

   Season the beef

   Season the beef chuck generously with salt and pepper on all sides. Let it sit at room temperature while you prepare the aromatics. The meat should not be cold when it enters the pot.

3. 3

   Render the pancetta

   In a heavy Dutch oven, combine the olive oil, butter, and pancetta. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta has rendered its fat and begun to crisp at the edges, about 8 minutes. The fat is as important as the meat here.

4. 4

   Brown the beef

   Push the pancetta to the sides and add the beef. Brown it thoroughly on all sides, turning every few minutes, until a dark crust forms. This takes 12 to 15 minutes. Do not rush it. Remove the beef and set it aside.

   The fond that develops on the bottom of the pot is concentrated flavor. Do not let it burn, but do not be afraid of deep color. This darkness becomes sweetness.
5. 5

   Build the base

   Add the carrot and celery to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring and scraping up any browned bits. Pour in the wine and let it bubble until reduced by half, scraping the bottom of the pot. The alcohol must cook away completely.

6. 6

   Add the onions

   Add all the onions to the pot. They will fill it completely. This is expected. Stir to combine with the fat and aromatics. The onions will seem impossible to fit. Press them down. They will cook down dramatically.

   Season the onions with salt now. This draws out moisture and begins the breakdown. About one teaspoon at this stage is sufficient. You will adjust at the end.
7. 7

   Nestle the beef

   Push the onions aside to create a well and nestle the browned beef into the center. Pile the onions over and around it until the meat is buried. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid.

8. 8

   Begin the long cook

   Place the pot over the lowest possible heat. The contents should never bubble vigorously. You want the faintest simmer, a lazy bubble that rises once every few seconds. Cook for 4 hours without lifting the lid. The onions will release their liquid and begin to collapse.

9. 9

   Check and continue

   After 4 hours, remove the lid. The onions will have reduced by more than half, swimming in their own liquid. Stir gently, turning the meat. Replace the lid slightly ajar and continue cooking for another 3 to 4 hours. The liquid must evaporate and the onions must turn from pale gold to deep amber.

10. 10

    Finish the sauce

    The sauce is ready when the onions have completely dissolved into a creamy mass, the color of dark honey. The meat should shred when pressed with a fork. Remove the meat, shred it with two forks, and return it to the pot. Stir to combine. The sauce should coat a spoon thickly. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

    If the sauce seems thin, cook uncovered for another 30 minutes. If it threatens to stick, add water one tablespoon at a time. The final consistency should be dense, almost jammy.
11. 11

    Cook the paccheri

    Bring abundant salted water to a vigorous boil. Add the paccheri and cook until tender with pleasant resistance, usually one minute less than package instructions. Reserve one cup of pasta water before draining. Paccheri are large tubes. They take longer than you expect.

12. 12

    Marry pasta and sauce

    Add the drained paccheri to the pot with the Genovese. Toss vigorously over low heat for one minute, adding splashes of pasta water as needed. The sauce should coat the inside and outside of each tube. Once the pasta is sauced, serve it promptly, inviting your guests and family to put off talking and start eating. Pass Pecorino Romano at the table.

Chef Tips

• •The onion-to-meat ratio cannot be altered. Three pounds of onions to every one to two pounds of meat. Less onion means less sauce, and the sauce is the point.
• •Some Neapolitan cooks add a small piece of prosciutto rind or a pork rib to the pot for additional depth. This is acceptable but not required. The pancetta provides sufficient pork flavor.
• •If you must stop cooking before the sauce is finished, turn off the heat, let the pot cool, and refrigerate overnight. Resume the next day. The interruption does no harm.
• •Leftover Genovese makes an extraordinary filling for arancini or a sauce for polenta. It keeps refrigerated for five days.

Advance Preparation

• •The Genovese improves dramatically after resting overnight. Make it a day ahead, refrigerate, and reheat gently before serving.
• •The sauce freezes well for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat slowly, adding a splash of water if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 420g)