AMERICAN MEAT SAUCE

American Meat Sauce image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 1h40m

Yield 10 cups

Number Of Ingredients 13

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1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
2 large celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck
One 6-ounce can tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Two 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 tablespoon sugar
1 dried bay leaf

Steps:

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent but does not get any color, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the bell pepper, celery, garlic, a generous pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes.
Add the beef, a generous pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper to the pot and cook, stirring to break the meat into small bits, until browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and oregano and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
Add the Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes with their juices, sugar and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 45 minutes.