Time is not an ingredient. What the time is doing is the ingredient.
Brown in batches
Crowded meat steams before it browns. Work in smaller batches, let fond build on the pot and deglaze deliberately. Those browned layers become the backbone of the sauce.
Simmer below the obvious simmer
Hard boiling tightens meat and emulsifies fat into the sauce before you want it. A lazy surface movement is enough for extraction. Skim, reduce and adjust rather than forcing the process.
The pasta pan is the final pot
Ragù should finish with the pasta, not be spooned over it. Add a little cooking water, toss until the sauce clings to every ribbon, then fold in cheese off heat.
