Spaghetti Sauce with Ribs
Submitted by brianstg
Hearty Italian spaghetti sauce with pork ribs, homemade meatballs, and scorched tomato paste simmered for hours into rich, meaty perfection.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
45 minREADY
1 hrsThis isn’t a quick weeknight sauce (it’s the Sunday gravy that simmers all afternoon and makes the whole house smell like an Italian grandmother’s kitchen).
Pork ribs and homemade meatballs brown deeply, then join a tomato base enriched with scorched tomato paste (yes, deliberately burnt for depth).
Everything simmers together for a minimum of three hours, letting the meat turn fall-apart tender and the flavors meld into something extraordinary.
Make it a day ahead and refrigerate overnight for even better results when reheated.
Pro Tips
- Don’t drain the fat after browning the ribs (it adds flavor to the sauce)
- The scorched tomato paste technique is crucial (scrape up all those dark bits from the pan)
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot to prevent scorching during the long simmer
- Stir occasionally but not constantly (let it do its thing)
- Refrigerate overnight after cooking (the flavors deepen and any excess fat solidifies for easy removal)
- This makes enough for a crowd or several meals (freeze portions in quart containers)
Ingredients
Directions
For the sauce: Empty tomato purée into an 8-qt. non-aluminum kettle.
Fill the two empty cans with water and add to puree.
In a blender, add another ¼ can water, one seeded green pepper and 2 cloves of garlic.
Blend or process until liquified.
Add to tomato puree. Add anise, 2 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 tablespoon basil, 1 tablespoon oregano and 1 tablespoon parsley.
Bring to a boil and simmer.
Prepare meat: Thoroughly brown ribs on all sides.
Turn off the heat.
Do not drain fat. Transfer ribs to a bowl and set aside.
Combine ground beef and sausage.
In a blender, process eggs, garlic clove, seeded green pepper and add to ground beef mixture.
Add remaining spices, bread crumbs and Parmesan.
Mix well. Roll into meatballs.
Brown thoroughly and set aside with ribs.
Pour tomato paste into the same skillet used to brown meat.
On high temperature, stirring constantly for one to two minutes, scorch bottom of skillet until some of the paste sticks and turns black.
Add the two 12-oz. cans of water, scraping the bottom of the skillet to loosen scorched paste.
Add this mixture to the already simmering sauce. Add ribs and meatballs.
Continue simmering the sauce for a minumum of three hours, stirring occasionally.
For best results, refrigerate after cooking and reheat the next day.
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