Matty Matheson's Addition For Next-Level Meat Sauces

If you are going to call your meat sauce a Bolognese, Italian cuisine purists are going to demand that it be traditional. That means ground beef, pancetta, soffritto, and tomato puree are the only ingredients you need, with no additions or substitutions. In most households, however, the rules are usually not as strict. Versions of Sunday sauces created with recipes passed down from generation to generation can vary widely based on what ingredients are available, what fits the budget, and what tastes good to you and yours; nontraditional additions become new traditions, or, better yet, upgrades.

Sometimes, one tiny change can completely transform a recipe. And when it comes to Bolognese, Canadian chef Matty Matheson told Bloomberg he is on board with breaking the rules a bit. His next-level take on this comforting classic features an unconventional ingredient: egg yolks. And this addition isn't only able to upgrade the Italian staple, but can be used for any meat sauce you think could use a little oomph.

While they are a common ingredient in white sauces, adding an egg yolk to meat sauces like traditional Italian Bolognese is quite unorthodox. But the reasoning behind Matheson's addition is backed by science. When heated, the protein in an egg yolk will bind to any liquid present and cause it to thicken, resulting in a finished dish that is creamy, hearty, and rich.

On top of that, the addition of egg yolks cuts the cooking time considerably. The ingredient immediately gives meat sauces a depth of flavor and body that would take hours to achieve if you're following a more traditional recipe.

But beware: incorporating this ingredient into a hot dish is a delicate process, and if it is not performed correctly, the eggs can scramble. The best technique is to temper them first by slowly adding a few spoonfuls of your warm sauce into the yolks to bring them up to the proper temperature. Then, you can gently pour the mixture back into the pot while stirring constantly. 

You may not be able to completely claim your dish is traditional if you choose to go this route, but your end result will be a complex, flavorful meat sauce that was quick to concoct and just might taste better than the classic.