Best Long Cooking Meat Sauce Recipes

EASY MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; saute onion in hot oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Season onion with Italian seasoning; continue to saute until the herbs are fragrant, about 3 minutes more.
• Break beef into small pieces and add to the skillet; cook and stir until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Stir tomato sauce and diced tomatoes into the beef mixture; season with salt, place a lid on the skillet, reduce heat to low, and cook at a simmer for 1 hour.
• Splash wine over the mixture, stir, and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes.

BASIC MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and juice, breaking up tomatoes. Simmer over medium heat until thickened and saucy, 45 to 60 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

LONG COOKING SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Steps:

• In a stock pot, bring sauce ingredients to a boil.
• Turn down to simmer and cook about 4 hours, or until thick, stirring every 10-15 minutes.
• You can use a splatter screen over the pot, but not a solid lid - sauce needs to be uncovered.
• For meatballs:.
• About one hour before sauce is finished, combine ground chuck, egg and salt/pepper to taste in a bowl.
• Combine in bowl, and form into round balls. I use a cookie scoop.
• Spoon balls into sauce, and allow to cook while sauce is simmering.

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.

ONE-POT MEATBALLS AND SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the eggs, parsley, ricotta, Parmesan, bread crumbs, 2 of the chopped garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Mix well and let sit for a few minutes to soften the bread crumbs.
• Add the beef and pork and season with black pepper. Using your hands, gently mix well to evenly incorporate ricotta mixture into the meat, while taking care not to overmix (or meatballs will become dense). Form the meat mixture into rounds slightly larger than a golf ball, about 2 ounces each. Be careful not to pack them too tightly; roll them just so they barely hold together.
• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, add a few balls at a time, taking care not to crowd the pot. Using tongs, gently rotate the balls every so often to encourage them to keep their rounded shape. Cook until evenly browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer meatballs to a large plate and set aside. Repeat with remaining balls.
• Once all the meatballs are browned, drain all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot, leaving all the good browned bits behind. Return pot to medium heat and add onion and remaining 2 garlic cloves. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently until onion is totally softened and translucent (but not browned), about 5 to 8 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, if you like. Fill tomato can with water, swirling to get all the remaining bits of tomato, and add to pot, using just enough to thin the sauce without making it overly watery. Season with salt and pepper. Use this tomato can to hold your spoon or spatula while you cook.
• Simmer the sauce for about 10 minutes, just until the flavors meld and sauce has thickened a bit. Using tongs, return meatballs to the pot, nestling them into the sauce. Scatter basil over and place a lid on the pot. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through.
• Serve meatballs on their own, or over garlic bread or spaghetti.