Moms Northern Italian Meat Sauce Recipes

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.

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.

CLASSIC ITALIAN MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large saucepot, heat one tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add both the ground beef and the sausage together and cook, stirring frequently, and breaking up the meat so that it's very crumbly and browned throughout, about 4 to 6 minutes. Turn it into a strainer and let it the fat drain off.
• Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same pot over medium heat (don't clean it! All those little bits of flavor from the meat will season the sauce). Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano and basil and cook, stirring for 2 more minutes, until you can smell the garlic and herbs. Add the wine, if using, and stir for one more minute, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom, until the wine pretty much evaporates.
• Add the canned tomatoes and red pepper flakes if using, and stir to combine everything. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat, stirring occasionally. Add the browned meat, lower the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Taste, and season gently with the salt and pepper (the sausages provide a whole lot of seasoning).

NORTH ITALIAN MEAT SAUCE (RAGU BOLOGNESE)

Steps:

• In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add pancetta, onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a heavy large saucepan.
• In same skillet, heat olive oil. Cook ground beef and pork over medium heat, stirring to break up any lumps, until browned. Pour in the wine, increase the heat and boil briskly, stirring constantly, until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Transfer ground meat mixture to the saucepan with the pancetta and vegetables. Set skillet aside.
• Stir the beef stock and tomato paste into the saucepan. Bring sauce to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat in the original skillet. Add chicken livers and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, or until firm and lightly browned. Remove livers from skillet and dice. Set aside and add to sauce 10 minutes before it is done. A few minutes before serving, stir in the cream and let it heat through. Season sauce with nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste.

THE NORTH END ITALIAN MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large heavy skillet, on low heat, very slowly heat the olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, basil and mint.
• Let cook for about 5 minutes or until garlic is golden brown.
• If you are using the plum or fresh tomatoes, crush them in your hands or put them in a blender for 1-2 seconds (this will speed up the cooking process and give a smoother consistency to the sauce).
• Raise the heat to medium high.
• When oil is really hot, carefully add the tomatoes.
• Let the sauce come to a soft boil.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Add a pinch more of red pepper, basil and mint.
• Add the chopped parsley.
• Let sauce simmer, uncovered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

ITALIAN MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the onions, carrots, celery, and salt pork (if using) in a food processor and process to a fine paste. In a heated skillet with olive oil, brown this combination.
• Add the ground meat to the skillet and brown.
• Once the meat is browned, add the wine and cook to evaporate it.
• Add the salt, black pepper, tomatoes, tomato paste, and water. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to simmer for 2 hours covered. Stir from the bottom every 20 minutes. Be careful that the heat is not too high - it will burn.
• Uncover and simmer 1 more hour.
• Enjoy!

MOMS NORTHERN ITALIAN MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• In dutch oven cook bacon till crisp add all meats and drain off fat. Add tomatoes liver, onions, carrots, celery, parsley, tomato paste, bouillon, nutmeg 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper to meat mixture Stir in wine and 1/4 cup H2O Boil uncovered 45-60 minutes Before serving pour in 1/3 cup light cream or milk if desired.