Grandmas Sunday Gravy Recipes

GRANDMA'S SUNDAY SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pot and cook pork ribs until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Cook sausages until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the same plate as the ribs.
• Drain off some of the excess fat. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in remaining olive oil. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook and stir until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute; make sure not to burn. Pour in 1/2 of the red wine and scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
• Add tomato paste, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Stir until paste starts to darken, about 2 minutes. Stir in remaining red wine and water.
• Add tomatoes and their juices, crushing by hand as you add them to the pot. Season with basil, remaining salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a low simmer. Taste and add sugar if sauce is too acidic.
• Return ribs to the pot. Simmer, partially covered, adding more liquid if needed, for at least 2 hours. Add sausages back to the pot for the last 45 minutes of cooking. Add fresh basil during the last 15 minutes of cooking. Discard bones before serving.

SUNDAY GRAVY

Steps:

• In a casserole or stockpot, combine the ribs with enough cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain. In a 10-quart casserole set over moderate heat, warm the oil and cook the onions and garlic, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the ribs, braciole, and sausage and cook until they're browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, herbs, and salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Add the meatballs and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours more. The longer the cooking time, the more concentrated the gravy will be. When the gravy is almost done, cook the pasta according to the package directions, until al dente. Drain. Remove all of the meat from the sauce and put on a platter. Pour some of the sauce into a gravy boat to serve on the side. Add the pasta to the remaining sauce and toss with a little oil.
• Braciole (Stuffed Meat Rolls): Season the meat on both sides with salt and pepper to taste. In a bowl, combine the 1/2 cup Parmesan, garlic, and parsley. Divide the mixture among the meat slices, spreading it into an even layer, and roll up each slice to enclose the filling. Secure each roll with string or toothpicks.
• Meatballs: In a small bowl, combine the bread with enough milk to just cover and let the bread soak for 10 minutes. Squeeze dry and chop fine. In a bowl, combine the bread with the meat, garlic, parsley, Romano cheese, eggs, and salt and pepper to taste. Form into 12 to 14 meatballs, about 2 1/2 inches in diameter, and chill until ready to cook. In a large saucepan or casserole set over moderate, heat the oil until hot. Add the meatballs and cook them until they're browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes.

NORTH END SUNDAY GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Cook neck bones, country-style pork rib, beef chuck, beef rib, and lamb shank in hot oil, turning regularly, until browned on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove all the meat to a large bowl.
• Pour another 1/4 cup olive oil into the stockpot and heat over medium heat; stir a pinch of basil, a pinch of mint, and a pinch of red pepper flakes into the oil. Cook and stir onions in hot oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute more. Stir the tomato paste into the onion mixture until incorporated. Pour crushed tomatoes and water into the mixture and bring to a low boil. Add an additional 2 pinches each of basil, mint, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and black pepper.
• Return the browned meats to the tomato mixture; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring every 15 minutes, for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the neck bones and discard.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Crumble Italian sausage into the skillet; cook and stir until crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard any excess grease. Stir sausage into the tomato sauce with sugar. Return the sauce to a simmer and cook another 1 1/2 hours.
• Mix ground beef, ground pork, eggs, milk, Italian bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and garlic with your hands in a large bowl until evenly mixed; shape into 2-inch balls.
• Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the meat balls in hot oil until evenly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add meatballs to the tomato sauce. Cook at a simmer for 1 hour, adding water as needed to keep sauce from becoming too thick. Remove stockpot from heat; let sit 2 to 3 minutes. Skim and discard any fat from the top of the sauce.

GRANDMA'S TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• Pour drippings into a 2-cup measuring cup. Skim fat, reserving 1/4 cup. Add enough broth to the drippings to measure 2 cups., Saute shallot in reserved fat in a small saucepan. Stir in the flour, salt, onion powder, poultry seasoning and pepper until blended; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until browned (do not burn). Gradually add broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

GRANDMA'S COUNTRY BREAKFAST GRAVY

Steps:

• Pour the Evaporated Milk, water and 2 cups of the whole milk into a large bowl; set aside.
• Heat meat drippings/grease until hot, but not smoking. Slowly stir in the flour a small amount at at time until thoroughly incorporated and no lumps remain - (use a large, long-handled stainless steel cooking SPOON to stir the mixture with). Cook over medium-heat for a few minutes, stirring as needed to keep from burning on bottom. The texture should be a medium-thin paste in thickness; add a bit more flour, or melted grease, if needed, until proper thickness is attained. Cook and stir a few minutes until the rue begins to turn a LIGHT tan color.
• Pour the cream mixture into the rue, and, using a large WHISK, quickly stir until all the ingredients are blended and no lumps remain. Stir in the salt and pepper.
• Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often with the stainless steel SPOON, until desired thickness is reached. You may need to add the remaining 1 cup of whole milk it it gets too thick. (Rembember, the gravy will continue to thicken a slight bit as it cools.) Remove from heat; place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the gravy surface to keep a skin from forming if not serving immediately.
• Note: You may stir in some breakfast sausage, (I use Jimmy Dean Original), that has been cooked and crumbled if desired. Just add this at the very end right before you remove the pan from the heat.