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There is a dingy little Italian Diner(Marcelli's Raviolis) here in Eureka that's been making a Brown/Meat Sauce for their Pasta that keeps calling me back over 40 years.
My dear FRiend, those dingy little Italian Diners or cafes are where we all got our start and where you can find the very best foods. Success becomes our worst nightmare because we can't really prepare the delicate old family recipes in such volume as necessitated in a popular restaurant.. This is what I would guess is the fabulous Brown/Meat Sauce is.. There are so many variations and all of them are wonderful, but it can cause a fight within an Italian family.. I hope this is it, I know it's great..

CLASSIC SAUCE BOLOGNESE
Pasta Bolognese sauce is served as a first course or as a side dish with a lightly breaded chicken or veal scaloppini.
Even though this sauce is usually paired with spaghetti, it's better with a pasta noodle like tagliatelle or lasagna.
    * 14 oz. ground veal, pork, beef, sausage meat or any combination of them
    * 5 small cloves of garlic, minced (small cloves are the most flavorful)
    * 2 Tbs.. olive oil
    * 2 Tbs. salted butter
    * 3 - 4 yellow onions, finely chopped
    * 1 lb. roma tomatoes, blanched and peeled
    * 1 sm. can, tomato paste
    * 3 bay leaves
    * 1 small carrot, finely diced
    * 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
    * 1/2 cup dry white or red wine, something you would drink
    * Salt and freshly ground pepper
    * 1 ts basil, dry, or 2 ts. fresh
    * 1 ts. oregano, dry (optional)
    * Fresh grated Parmesan Reggiano for serving
1) Wash and chop all the vegetables, removing the strings from the celery before chopping.
2) Sauté the onion, carrot and celery over a med-low heat in oil (or oil and butter); sweat the vegetables until they color slightly;
3) Add the minced garlic, do not burn (garlic becomes bitter when burned)
4) Add the ground meat, or meats and cook over med-low heat, cook thoroughly.
5) Season with salt and pepper; and deglaze with the white or red wine; increase the heat and cook until the wine has reduced.
6) Add the diced tomatoes and the tomato paste, thinned with a small amount of tomato juice, or beef broth.
7) Add bay leaves, basil and oregano, if using, simmer and stir frequently. Increase the heat to medium so that the sauce boils gently. Covert and let simmer for two to three hours, not allowing the sauce to thicken too much, adding more broth as necessary.
If you are using cream, add it an hour before the end of the cooking time; remove the bay leaves before serving. The cream will tend to cut some of the tomato's acidity.
Chef's tips;
    * 1 oz. pancetta, cut into small pieces
    * A slice of smoked ham
    * Basil (preferably fresh), thyme or oregano
    * 1 cup) beef broth
    * 3 Tbs.. cream (15%)
I suggest a simmering time of two to three hours, but if you have the time, let the sauce simmer over lowest heat for up to as much as six hours if possible to enhance the full flavor. stir it regularly so that it doesn't stick, using a wooden spoon. Enjoy!