Help Needed

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HalfSmoked

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Jun 11, 2015
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Plenty of tomatoes and we are looking for a spaghetti sauce. Lets see your recipes. Looking for something like a Italian type. All help appreciated.

HalfSmoke
Warren
 
I have one from my wife's family . My son makes it . I can get it to you
 
This is my most requested Pasta Sauce. Can be made with Canned or Fresh Tomatoes. The sauce Freezes well. You can make it with or without the Pork, if a more Marinara Sauce is desired. But...the Pork Makes It!
Add or Substitute Beef.
Chicken Legs, Thighs, Italian Sausage and/or Meatballs, added the last hour of the three, are all great choices.
I've been making this over 30 years...JJ

Porky Pasta Sauce

4-5Lbs Pork Country Style Ribs or Butt, cut in 2x2 pieces ( This is a Min. up to 8lbs won't hurt, Bones Too! ) Have an Extra 28oz can of Tomatoes to add if you want it more Saucy.

2T Olive Oil
1tsp Red Pepper Flakes, if desired
2C fine Chopped Onion
1C fine Chopped Carrot
2-3ea lrg Cloves Garlic, minced (1Tbs)
2ea 28oz. Cans Diced Tomatoes
OR...
4Lbs Fresh Peeled, Seeded and Diced Tomatoes
12oz Tomato Paste
12oz Red Wine
1tsp Dry Oregano or 1T Fresh
1tsp Salt
1tsp Black Pepper
1 14oz can or homemade Broth. (Use to rinse Cans, if using. )
1C Fresh Basil Leaves, torn (Big handful.)
1T Sugar if needed.

Optional: Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese RINDS! Add and simmer to add a subtle cheese flavor and Umami...

Heat oil in a large Heavy Bottom 12Qt Stock Pot.

Brown meat on all sides, 6-7 pieces at a time. Set aside.

Saute Veg until Onion is translucent and golden.

Add Tomato Paste and saute until it darkens slightly.

Add wine and reduce 5 minutes to concentrate flavor.

Add Meat and remaining, except Basil and Sugar.

Bring to a Boil, reduce Heat and simmer, uncovered, until meat is nearly falling apart. About 3 Hours.

Stir every Ten Minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot to keep from burning.

When meat is Fork Tender, Add Basil and adjust seasoning. If too acidic add sugar to taste.

Serve Sauce over your Fav pasta and meat on the side. Top with Lots of Cheese.
 
I grew up with a southern Italian style of sauce, which was always a little too watery for my liking. It was great, especially when cuts of steak, chicken, and homemade Italian sausage were braised in it. I personally always wanted a bigger flavor and more substance. Once I was away from home, I created my own. I've heard a lot of good OMGs when people taste my sauce.

Ray's Spaghetti Sauce

2 lbs 85/15 ground beef
1 lb ground Italian sausage (this is a key flavor ingredient)
1 large onion, chopped.
8 large cloves of garlic, chopped (a clove, not the head for newbies)
1/4 cup olive oil. Can skip the olive oil if using a non-stick Dutch oven.
Brown meat and tenderize onion and garlic together in an 8-quart Dutch oven. If you like more garlic flavor, which I do, I wait and add the chopped garlic with the ingredients below.

Add 2-30 oz cans diced tomatoes (or the equivalent of chopped fresh)
1 30 oz can tomato sauce
1 12 oz can tomato paste
Lightly rinse the tomato and tomato sauce cans with water and add to the sauce.
8 oz red wine (might be 12 oz because I just kind of dump out of the bottle and do a couple of circles in the pan)
1 rounded Tbs dried basil (or 1 cup chopped fresh)
1 rounded Tbs marjoram
1 rounded Tbs thyme
1 rounded Tbs oregano
(or can skip the basil/mar/thyme/oregano and add 1/3 cup Italian seasoning. There's a slight change in flavor, but you won't notice if making it for the first time)
1 Tbs sugar (you can skip the sugar and pulverize a peeled carrot in a food processor for sweetness)
1/2 Tbs fennel seed (another key flavor ingredient)
1/2 Tbs salt (can use less, but don't omit. If you use too much, add some sugar to counter the saltiness).
1 tsp cayenne or red pepper flakes (optional), or
1 tsp ground black pepper for a lighter heat.

Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer covered for 4 hours, stirring occasionally to avoid burning, which will ruin the sauce. The sauce will be done WELL before 4 hours, but you'll miss the magic that happens between 3 and 4 hours. The ingredients reach a level of surrender where the sauce smoothes out and the meat becomes butter tender. You can actually see the change that takes place when you stir it. The sauce won't separate on the plate if you simmer it for the full 4 hours.

Now, you gotta have some rustic bread handy, because the red fat on the top of the sauce is pure flavor gold when a chunk of bread is dipped in it. My sister and I often declared war on each other as kids fighting for that dipped bread.

I'll come back and look at this later to see if I forgot anything. This recipe is kind of ingrained in my soul, but it's late and I'm old. The kids go nuts when I make a sauce for them.

BTW, I never measure. The palm of my hand is my measure for all the above ingredients. So, there's that. My daughter has made this recipe and said it tasted just like mine.

It's fantastic the first day but will be even better the second day.
 
Last edited:
Chef jimmyj, you are gonna make me go buy another double pack of boston butts on sale @ $0.79/lb. just to make that sauce!

My Wife was out shopping and looking for Butts yesterday, specifically to make this sauce. 2 stores and No Joy, never mind $0.79 per. At THAT price, make a Double Batch and freeze it!...JJ
 
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Thanks for starting this thread HalfSmoked HalfSmoked getting some really good recipes! My wife makes a sauce we really like from Pioneer Woman which I could get if you wanted but also gonna have her check out these recipes to see if she wants to try them.

Ryan
 
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The San Mar' Romas my daughter planted are tasty but only growing to Thumb Size. Great for snacking but I'll be using Canned Maters until next summer ...JJ
 
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