Sunday Sauce. Sunday Gravy.

Throw Instant Gratification in the trash with this Sunday Dinner.

This masterpiece will teach you the benefits of patience and relaxation, as it does take a while. However, make it and then argue that it’s not worth it. Flavorful cuts of meat, slow cooked through the day until they fall right off the bone.

While recipes do vary on the meats used, a combination of pork, beef, and veal in various forms are most common. This recipe below uses a combination of boar, beef, and pork, but really mix and match to your liking, with the importance being a variety of cuts for different taste and texture.

If we have to make up rules around here use: one shoulder, one choice of rib, and one choice of ground meat.

As the sauce cooks, the tomatoes will cook down the meat until it falls off the bone, while the slightly ajar lid will let water escape, thickening the final product. If using meatballs, add these to the sauce at least an hour before serving.

What you’ll need

Serves 6

1/4 cup olive oil
1 lb boar or pork shoulder
1 lb beef or pork rib
2 hot italian sausages, decased
1 white onion, diced
8 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup wine. Red is recommended but white will work
3 28oz cans, San Marzano whole tomatoes. Blend or crush right before use
1.5 teaspoons each of oregano, salt, and black pepper,
.5 teaspoons of crushed red pepper
1 bunch of fresh basil
Grated Parmesan to serve
Chopped parsley or basil to serve

Lets Do This

In a large pot, heat half the olive oil on medium high heat
Brown the meat one at a time. As meat browns, remove from the pot and set aside
Drain off some of the fat, and add additional oil if needed
Add the onion and cook until it begins to brown
Lower heat to medium low, add garlic and cook until light golden
Add a pinch of the oregano and the red pepper to the pot and cook for about 30 seconds
Deglaze the pan with the wine and cook until the wine has reduced to roughly 1/4 cup
Add the tomatoes and seasoning and bring to a boil
Reduce to a simmer, add the basil, the remaining spices, and the browned meats
Partially cover with the lid, and simmer for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally until meat is falling off the bone and easily shreads apart
Remove the bone-in meat, removing the bones. Shred meat with a fork and add back into the sauce. If using cooked meatballs, add to the sauce to heat through
Simmer for another 30-60 minutes to heat through

Serving

The pictures below show preparations with both tagliatelle and orecchiette pasta, though almost any pasta will do.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, adding salt
Meanwhile, heat tomato sauce in a pan
Add pasta to the water, and cook 1-2 minutes less than instructed
Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water and drain the pasta.
Add pasta to the tomato sauce, increase heat to high, and add some reserved pasta water, stirring rapidly to make a sauce
Drop in a slice of butter or olive oil as you stir
When pasta is coated, remove from heat and stir through cheese and parsley if using
Immediately plate and serve. Top with cheese and garnish with parsley or basil if preferred