Best Daves Meatless Sunday Gravy Recipes

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.

SUNDAY GRAVY WITH BEEF OR PORK BRACIOLA AND ANNA AND FRANKIE'S MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Braciola: With meat cleaver or any heavy kitchen utensil, pound the meat slices between 2 sheets of waxed paper. Rub each piece of meat with the garlic clove. Sprinkle each slice of meat with and equal amount of cheese and parsley. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
• Roll the meat up tightly like a cigar, and tie with butcher's twine to keep meat rolled while cooking. Heat oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the meat rolls and fry for about 6 minutes or until evenly browned. Reserve meat for gravy.
• Meatballs: Combine beef, veal, and pork in a large bowl. Add eggs, cheese, parsley, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Using your hands, blend ingredients. Add bread crumbs to mixture. Slowly add water, 1 cup at a time, until mixture is moist.
• Shape meat mixture into balls, approximately 2 1/2 to 3-inch balls.
• In a large skillet, heat oil. The oil should be very hot, but not smoking. Place the meatballs in pan, and fry in batches. When the bottom half of meatball is browned and slightly crispy, turn over and cook top half. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel.
• Sunday Gravy: In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and toss to coat with oil. Cook meat a few pieces at a time, about 5 minutes, until nicely browned on all sides. Remove meat from pan and set aside. When garlic cloves have browned, remove and discard them.
• Combine tomato paste and water and stir into oil. Stirring constantly, cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and juice, raise heat, and bring to a boil. Using a tomato can, measure 2 cans of cold water, add to pan, and return to a boil.
• Return beef and pork to the sauce, and add salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 5 minutes. Lower heat and partially cover pan. Cook for approximately 2 hours stirring occasionally until meat is almost falling apart and sauce is thick.
• One hour before sauce is ready, add the beef or pork braciola and sausage. Add the meatballs at the same time.
• To serve: Remove meat from sauce. Serve sauce over pasta, and the meats on a separate platter.

SUNDAY SAUCE

Steps:

• Season the pork shoulder all over with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium high. Working in batches if necessary, cook the pork until browned on two sides, 8 to 10 minutes total, adding more oil if the pan looks dry. Transfer pieces to a bowl as they finish. Add the sausages to the pot and cook until browned, 4 to 6 minutes total. Transfer to the bowl.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, if needed, and the onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the red wine, stir, scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan and cook until the wine is nearly evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and basil, then fill one of the 28-ounce cans with water. (You'll use it in a second.) Return the pork shoulder and sausages to the pot, along with any accumulated juices in the bowl. Nudge them around so they are submerged. Add the meatballs on top, then add enough water from the can to cover the meat. (There's no need to stir.) Partly cover the pot, bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork shoulder falls apart when shredded with a fork, 2 to 2½ hours.
• When you're ready to eat, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until al dente. While the pasta cooks, slice the sausage and shred the pork shoulder. Transfer to a platter along with the meatballs and a few spoonfuls of sauce. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and add the pasta to the pot of sauce. Over medium heat, toss the pasta with the sauce, adding pasta water as needed until the sauce clings to the pasta.
• Divide pasta between bowls, then top with a bit of each meat. Pass the Parmesan and platter of meat at the table.

FAMOUS DAVE'S BBQ SAUCE - COPYCAT

Steps:

• Fry bacon in a large saucepan until crisp.
• Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of the drippings.
• Use the bacon for another purpose.
• Fry the onions in the reserve drippings on medium high heat until caramelized or dark golden brown.
• Don't burn.
• Reduce heat to medium low.
• Deglaze the saucepan with water.
• Stir in the Peach Schnapps, raisins, jalapeño and garlic.
• Simmer for 10 minutes or until the mixture is of a syrupy consistency, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat and place the mixture in a blender with Balsamic vinegar, apple, tangerine juice concentrate, pineapple juice concentrate, molasses, apple cider vinegar, lemon and lime juice.
• Process until puréed and return to the saucepan.
• Add corn syrup, tomato paste, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, chili powder, Maggi seasoning, salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper and cayenne.
• Mix well.
• Bring to a low boil, under medium heat, stirring frequently.
• Reduce heat to low.
• Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in Kahlúa and liquid smoke.
• Store, covered, in refrigerator.

DAVID RUGGERIO'S MEATBALLS (POLPETTI) & SUNDAY GRAVY

Steps:

• Meatballs:
• Place 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in skillet over medium heat, saute the onion and garlic for 3 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Set aside and allow to cool.
• In a large bowl, mix together the three meats with the bread crumbs, cheese, the cooled onion and garlic, parsley, salt and pepper and eggs.
• Shape the mixture into medium sized ovals, the size of extra large eggs. You should end up with about 22 meatballs.
• Brown the meatballs in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and proceed with the recipe for the famous Sunday gravy. (Alternatively, pre-heat oven to 400° , place meatballs on baking sheet, bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown)
• Sunday Gravy:
• Place the 1/4 cup of olive oil in a very large, heavy bottomed saucepot over medium heat. Saute the garlic for about 1 minute or until slightly golden.
• Add the tomato paste and fry it with the garlic for 5 minutes or until the paste is bubbling, constantly stirring so as not to burn it.
• Stir in the 12 tomato paste cans of water (9-cups) and allow to simmer for 20 minutes or until thick.
• Add the pureed tomatoes, the 1 ½ whole tomato cans of water (6 ½ cups), the oregano, salt, basil and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil then lower the heat so that the sauce barely simmers. Place a wooden spoon under the cover to keep the pot partially opened.
• While the sauce cooks, place the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and begin to brown the meat components evenly on all sides.
• After the sauce has been simmering over low heat for 2 hours, add the meat to it, being careful not to break the meatballs. Make sure the meat is completely covered by the sauce and continue to cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hour more hours, stirring periodically, always careful not to break the meatballs.