This turned out really long, so skip to the *** if you just want to hear how i liked it.

I had some reservations as it had no cheese outside a bit of parm in the bechamel. I'm used to ricotta and mozzerella as standards. Even bought some mozzerella as a standby just in case so i can add to the leftovers if i didn't like it.

I already made a post, but i severely underestimated the time this takes. chris's video was just like 20 minutes so it throws off how long this takes. even the small things like assembling the lasagna took me about 45 minutes. not horrible, but i budgeted an hour and a half to get the bechemel and then get it in the oven (ragu made day before).

ragu tasted great. i don't think the meatballs really added anything. again more of a time waster of adding time to really incorporate the pork and beef, then season, then brown. there's another technique i like where you take the meat and brown it whole then use a potato masher to break it up. i think it'd hit most of the same notes of browning meat but not overcooking it at the braise.

chris also doesn't defat it, after the bacon and browning there was like an inch of fat. i couldn't imagine if i didn't do that step, its still plenty fatty as is.

someone in the last post had the same issue, it took upping the temp to 275 to get that simmer going. so that took an extra hour or 2.

all that said, it tastes great. really nice final texture and hits all the notes you want a lasagna ragu. i had to resist going to town on it as it cooled. glad i did, and i really can't wait to use the rest with some spaghetti.

i've made plenty of lasagna's but it usually maxed out at 3 layers. i was really careful about the amounts per layer to try to get to 5 (part of why it took so long).

the part everyone wants to know. how was it? amazing. this really goes up against some of the best i've ever had. it held together after slicing (a first for me!) so each bite had a proper amount of noodles and stuff. loved chris's instructions for a 3 minute boil time. they had the most texture i've ever had in lasagna. everything was in perfect proption. meat, pasta, bechemel, there was even the extra crunch from the exposed pasta. i did not miss the cheese at all.

will i make it again? not as written, but in a heartbeat. its my new go to.