Sunday Sauce Recipe (Italian Sunday Gravy)
A slow-simmered family-style Sunday Sauce is made with beef short ribs and country-style pork ribs, inspired by our Abruzzese roots. Rich, silky, and meant to simmer low and slow.
Equipment
- Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven 7-9 Quart
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds English-cut bone-in beef short ribs
- 1 1/2 pounds country-style pork ribs bone-in
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 4-5 whole garlic cloves smashed
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 2 28-ounce cans whole plum tomatoes, with juices
- water as needed
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
Instructions
- Add the canned whole plum tomatoes with their juices to a blender or food processor and pulse until mostly smooth. Set aside.
- Pat the beef short ribs and country-style pork ribs dry with paper towels. Season generously on all sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat until the butter foams. Add about half of the meat in a single layer and brown on all sides, about 8–10 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining meat.
- Turn off the heat. Carefully spoon off and discard most of the rendered fat, leaving about 3 Tablespoons in the pot.
- Turn the heat back to medium-low. Add the smashed garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until it softens and coats the bottom of the pot. Pour in the red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine simmer for 2–3 minutes to cook down slightly.
- Pour in the pureed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add a pinch of kosher salt. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then lower the heat and let it simmer uncovered for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and the flavors begin to come together.
- Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with additional kosher salt if needed.
- Nestle the browned beef and pork ribs back into the pot along with any juices from the plate. The meat should be mostly covered by the sauce. If needed, add a little water so the meat is mostly submerged.
- Bring the pot back to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then lower the heat to low. Cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and let it simmer very gently for 6–8 hours. Stir every 30–45 minutes, turning the meat and scraping the bottom of the pot, and taste occasionally, seasoning with kosher salt as needed. If the sauce becomes too thick or the meat is no longer mostly covered, add a splash of water and keep the heat low and steady.
- When the meat is very tender and pulls easily from the bone, use tongs to carefully lift all the meat out of the pot and arrange it on a serving platter. If there is a noticeable layer of fat on top of the sauce, skim off a little with a spoon.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese until melted into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- To serve, spoon a little sauce over the meat. Cook pasta in well-salted water until al dente, then drain. Ladle some of the Sunday sauce over the hot pasta and toss until lightly coated. Finish with extra grated cheese and serve with the meat and additional sauce at the table.
Notes
- This Sunday sauce is meant to simmer low and slow. A gentle simmer (not a boil) is key for tender meat and a rich, silky sauce.
- Stir the sauce every 30–45 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot, and taste occasionally, seasoning with kosher salt as needed.
- If the sauce thickens too much during cooking, add a small splash of water to keep the meat mostly submerged.
- Skim any excess fat from the surface near the end of cooking for a cleaner, more balanced sauce.
- Stir the Parmesan or Pecorino cheese into the sauce off the heat so it melts smoothly without clumping.
- This sauce tastes even better the next day and can be made ahead and reheated gently over low heat.
- The sauce (with or without the meat) can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 595kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 45gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 155mgSodium: 690mgPotassium: 1287mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 817IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 151mgIron: 6mg
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