Tomato Sauce with Beef and Sausage

Growing up, I always knew it was a special occasion when my mom made the family tomato sauce. Packed with meat and cooked slowly on the stove for hours, I couldn’t wait for it to be finished. Served with cheese ravioli, it was my favorite dish as a kid.

It’s a very Italian-American take on a tomato sauce, relying on canned tomatoes. For a long time in many parts of the country during many parts of the year, it was hard to get decent fresh tomatoes. And honestly, unless you are getting really fresh, local tomatoes, it’s going to be hard to beat a can. Canned tomatoes are packed just hours after they’re harvested, and unlike a lot of other canned goods, you can get them without any preservatives - tomato should be the only ingredient. Also, since tomatoes are full of umami, they don’t need as much salt to provide a flavor punch (but they can also stand up to a lot of salt for the same reason.

This recipe is packed with beef, Italian sausage, and pepperoni, but it’s easy to omit those things for a vegetarian version. (The pepperoni does provide a bunch of flavor so you might want to replace it with a bit of paprika and extra red pepper flake.)

So here’s my take on my family’s old tomato sauce recipe.

The Family Sauce

Active Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 4-5 hours
Serves: Like a whole extended Italian Family so… a lot. You might want to cut the recipe down or give some away or something. We’re talking like more than a gallon of sauce here.

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb. (5-6) sweet Italian sausages (I like ones with fennel)
1.5 lbs stew beef
2 tbsp olive oil
4-8 cloves of garlic (depending on how much you like it), minced
1 large red onion (about 1 lb.), finely diced.
3 - 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes
28 oz can of pureed tomatoes
6 oz. can of tomato paste
2 sticks (14 oz.) Pepperoni, sliced 1/4 inch
1 tsp. Italian herbs
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flake
Salt to taste (I start with about 1 tbsp. Kosher)

1. Add the vegetable oil to a very large stockpot and heat over medium. When the pan is up to temperature, brown the sausage and the beef, about 3 minutes per side. I usually do this in two batches, one for the sausage and one for the beef. Set aside in a bowl to rest.

2. While the meat is browning, you can prep your garlic and onion. I’m lazy so I use a food processor. You want the pieces pretty small so they basically dissolve in the final sauce. Once the meat has been pulled, reduce the heat to medium low and add the olive oil, garlic, onion, and a pinch of salt. Sweat the onion and garlic until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the crushed tomatoes, puree, and paste and bring to a gentle simmer over low heat. Add the herbs, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and some salt. Stir to combine. Add the pepperoni, sausage, and beef. Stir.

The sauce at the beginning of its journey.

4. Simmer gently over low heat, uncovered, until the beef is very tender, about 3-4 hours. Make sure to stir occasionally (every 10-15 minutes at least) so the bottom doesn’t burn and it doesn’t splash everywhere. Serve with your favorite pasta, like cheese ravioli!