Italian Meat Sauce With Half The Meat Food

CLASSIC ITALIAN MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large, heavy-bottomed pot (such as a Dutch oven), heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook over medium heat, stirring as necessary, until cooked through. Using a spoon, spoon of most of the fat/liquid in the pot and then continue cooking the ground beef to brown nicely. Remove ground beef to a bowl and set aside.
• Add the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil to the same pot and heat over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery to the pot and cook, stirring, until the onion is softened, 4-5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes (if using) and the garlic and cook, stirring, about 1 minute more (don't let the garlic scorch). Add the tomato paste to the pot and cook, stirring, for another 1 minute. Add the red wine, stir, then allow to cook/simmer for about 2 minutes, or until reduced by about half. Add the canned tomatoes, water, basil leaves, oregano, brown sugar and salt. Stir well to combine. Return the cooked ground beef to the pot.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 2 hours, stirring regularly and more frequently as the mixture starts to thicken. (*Important to watch closely and stir often as sauce thickens, as the sauce/meat can scorch if is sits on the bottom of the pan in the thicker sauce.) Cook sauce until desired thickness reached. For pasta, I like to leave it a touch thinner. For lasagna or other baked pasta, you can cook until most of the liquid has cooked off.
• Add the heavy cream and butter to the sauce and cook, stirring until combined and warmed through. Taste the sauce and add additional salt and/or freshly ground pepper, as needed.
• *If desired, you can blend the sauce ever so slightly with a few blitzes with an immersion blender at this point, to blend the onion/carrots into the sauce. This is not necessary, just personal preference if you prefer a chunky or smooth sauce.
• Use sauce immediately or cool a bit, then refrigerate or freeze.

ITALIAN MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion until translucent. This should take 5 - 8 minutes. The longer you cook the onions, the sweeter they become.
• Add garlic and cook just until fragrant.
• Add the beef and veal (if using) and cook until it's browned. I use lean meat which means there's little fat left in the pan. I don't bother draining it. If you find a lot of fat you can remove it using a turkey baster or skim it off the top later. Don't mistake water for fat. I've found lesser grades of meat release more liquid than say Angus. If that's the case, cook and stir a few minutes and it will evaporate.
• Sprinkle in the granulated garlic, salt and pepper and stir.
• Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it loses its bright red color.
• Add the ground peeled tomatoes and the tomato puree, sugar and basil.
• Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened about 1 hour. Taste and adjust for more salt and pepper.

MEAT SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• In a medium- sized pot add the olive oil, garlic, chopped carrot, onion and celery, cook on medium heat for approximately 2-3 minutes or until the onion is transparent.
• Add the ground beef and brown, then add the puree, water, salt, oregano, basil, fresh basil leaves, bay leaf and hot pepper flakes (or black pepper) if desired, stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer half covered for approximately 35-40 minutes or until desired thickness, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaf.
• Serve over cooked fettuccine or pasta of choice, sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired before serving. Enjoy!

ITALIAN MEAT SAUCE WITH HALF THE MEAT

Steps:

• In a large, deep skillet or casserole heat olive oil over medium heat and add onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes, and add garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and turn heat up to medium-high. Add ground beef or veal and brown for about 5 minutes, stirring. Add cinnamon and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Stir in roasted mushroom mix, tomatoes, sugar, oregano and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a rapid bubble over medium-high heat. Turn heat down to medium, cover partially if sauce is spluttering too much, and simmer, stirring often, until thick and fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with pasta, figuring on 1/3 cup per 3-ounce serving.

OLD ITALIAN MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, brown beef and pork over medium heat until no longer pink; set aside.
• In a large skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat and saute onions and garlic until tender; add about 1/2 cup of wine; mix well.
• Add mushrooms, rosemary, oregano and thyme to skillet and add another 1/2 cup wine; saute until tender.
• Add browned meat, tomato sauce and tomato paste to mixture; simmer for 1 hour and add the remaining 2 cups of wine.
• Simmer sauce on low for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally; serve.

OLD WORLD ITALIAN MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, brown beef and pork with crushed red chili flakes over medium heat until no longer pink; set aside.
• In another large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and saute the onions and garlic until tender; add in about 1/2 cup red wine, mix well.
• Add in the sliced mushrooms, rosemary and oregano to skillet, and add another 1/2 cup wine; saute until tender.
• Add in the browned beef, tomato sauce and tomato paste; simmer for 1 hour; then add in remaining 1 cup wine, simmer on low for another 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Towards the end of cooking, add in the Parmesan cheese, mix to combine and heat through.