I have been stalking my Italian friend, Sandy for years. That is, I have been trying to get my hands on her family’s cookbook. It is all written in Italian with notes scribbled everywhere and splitters and splatters all over the pages. I would literally be in heaven if I could just feast my eyes on the notebook. She teases me all the time and says she is going to get it for me, but it is years later and I still have never seen the book.
I have, however, seen tricks of her family’s cooking trade on Facebook posts, (and you better believe I am taking notes) when they do their all family sauce day and make their traditional meat sauce. Some of those tricks are in this recipe.
With the holidays around the corner, it is great having this meat sauce to throw together with pasta for a quick meal. I usually make enough meat sauce so that it can be stored in the freezer for later. Please be sure that you leave enough head space in the container you are using if freezing. The sauce needs room to expand. Label and date all your containers. Trust me, I have stood many times staring at a jar thinking to myself, “What is this?” I know I thought when I put it in the freezer that for sure, I would remember!
I love opening a jar of meat sauce and fresh tomato sauce in the middle of winter. It is a wonderful reminder of the summer months and the fresh smell of the gardens. Use our homemade tomato sauce for that taste of summer in the sauce.
Serve over your favorite gluten free pasta with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
For more delicious gluten free recipes, please view our recipe page.
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 3 hours |
| Servings |
cups
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- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 yellow onion about 2 cups diced in uniform pieces about 1/2"
- 1 medium shallot finely diced
- 2-3 stalks celery about 1 cup diced in uniform pieces about 1/2"
- 2-3 carrots about 1 cup diced in uniform pieces about 1/2"
- 2 lbs ground meat beef, pork, sausage or a combination of them (I use beef and sausage)
- 3 quarts tomato sauce
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup red wine optional
- 1/4 cup parsley rough chopped, fresh
- 1 Tbsp oregano dried
- 1 Tbsp basil dried
- 1 bay leaf dried
- 2 sprig thyme fresh
- 1 sprig rosemary fresh
- 4 large cloves garlic roasted
- 2 oz parmesan cheese I use the rind of the parmesan cheese (I usually have a bag full of them in my freezer and toss one in my sauce)
- kosher salt
- pepper
Ingredients
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- Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven or stock pot and add the onions, cook for 5 minutes and then add the shallot, carrots and celery. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- In a separate pan, brown the ground meat and cook until no longer pink.
- If necessary, carefully strain any excess fat from the ground meat and add the browned beef to the dutch oven, stir together well.
- Add the tomato sauce, chicken stock and wine, stir well.
- Add the garlic, herbs, parmesean rind and bay leaf to the sauce.
- Bring to a low boil and reduce heat to a low simmer.
- Cook on low, stirring occasionally until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Usually 2-3 hours will give you a beautiful, rich, thick sauce. Add salt and pepper, if desired, to taste.
- Serve over pasta with freshly grated Parmesan cheese or use in your favorite lasagna recipe.
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