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1
In a large skillet, brown the carrots, celery, onions & garlic in the olive oil.
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2
Once the vegetables start to caramelize, add the oregano and thyme. Cook for about 1 minute, then add the tomato paste. Mix to combine the tomato paste. You'll get a lovely orange/red tinge to the mixture. Cook and stir for ~1 minute, taking care not to burn the mixture. Transfer to slow cooker.
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3
Add tomatoes to the slow cooker with the vegetable mixture. If using whole peeled tomatoes, crush the tomatoes with your hand and add to the slow cooker.
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4
In the same skillet, brown the beef. You can do in batches if needed. Transfer to the slow cooker with a slotted spoon if there's too much fat. I use grass-fed beef that is probably ~15% fat and doesn't have much fat rendered out after browning.
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5
Add milk, wine, salt, and bay leaves slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cover with lid. Cook on High for 3-4 hours or on Low for ~6 hours, stirring about every hour or so.
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6
Taste and add more salt if needed. Discard the bay leaves. Serve with your favorite pasta.
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7
Note: this makes a fairly thick sauce. When I make pasta bolognese, I keep ~1/2 cup of the pasta water to add to the sauce, then I finish the pasta in the sauce.
