3 pounds bone-in, English-cut beef short ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled Italian tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 medium carrot, peeled
2 pounds spaghetti
In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper and add them to the casserole in a single layer. Cook over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until browned, 10 minutes. With tongs, transfer the short ribs to a plate.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the casserole. Add the onions and a generous pinch of salt; cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, 12 to 15 minutes.
Add the tomato paste, garlic, and oregano and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes with their juices and the carrot; bring to a boil.
Return the short ribs and their juices to the casserole, cover partially, and simmer over low heat, turning the short ribs occasionally, until the meat is very tender and the sauce is thick, about 4 hours.
Transfer the short ribs to a plate; discard the carrot. Discard the bones and cut the meat into 1 1/2-inch chunks.
Return the meat to the sauce and season with salt and pepper; keep warm over low heat.
**My own notes**: The whole carrot thing is something I’ve seen before in Italian American recipes, and the idea is supposed to be that the carrot balances out some of the acidity from the tomatoes, but I’m not convinced that peeling and leaving it whole is enough. When I make a sauce like this, I use grated carrot. But if anyone out there has any experience with doing a side-by-side, please give me your thoughts!
dab745
Carrot thoughts: it’s the same reason some people use sugar. However, if you simmer for a good while to let the crushed tomatoes render you should not need a sugar ingredient. I personally do NOT like carrots in my sauce. Meat sauce or otherwise. I don’t add sugar either. I think you get the balance from a good yellow onion or from the fat in the meat. I do like how you put a whole carrot in. I just wouldn’t shred it or leave it in.
ricktencity
Looks good but spaghetti is the wrong noodle for big chunks of meat like that. Need a rigatoni or tagliatelle imo.
Pokefightaway
Every time a top tier gif recipe is posted it’s always you. Thanks for keeping this subreddit active even after all these years
5 Comments
“Sunday sauce” is also sometimes called Sunday gravy–basically it’s a meat sauce that takes all afternoon, very similar to a ragù.
Souce: [Food & Wine](https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/sunday-sauce)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 pounds bone-in, English-cut beef short ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled Italian tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 medium carrot, peeled
2 pounds spaghetti
In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper and add them to the casserole in a single layer. Cook over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until browned, 10 minutes. With tongs, transfer the short ribs to a plate.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the casserole. Add the onions and a generous pinch of salt; cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, 12 to 15 minutes.
Add the tomato paste, garlic, and oregano and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes with their juices and the carrot; bring to a boil.
Return the short ribs and their juices to the casserole, cover partially, and simmer over low heat, turning the short ribs occasionally, until the meat is very tender and the sauce is thick, about 4 hours.
Transfer the short ribs to a plate; discard the carrot. Discard the bones and cut the meat into 1 1/2-inch chunks.
Return the meat to the sauce and season with salt and pepper; keep warm over low heat.
**My own notes**: The whole carrot thing is something I’ve seen before in Italian American recipes, and the idea is supposed to be that the carrot balances out some of the acidity from the tomatoes, but I’m not convinced that peeling and leaving it whole is enough. When I make a sauce like this, I use grated carrot. But if anyone out there has any experience with doing a side-by-side, please give me your thoughts!
Carrot thoughts: it’s the same reason some people use sugar. However, if you simmer for a good while to let the crushed tomatoes render you should not need a sugar ingredient. I personally do NOT like carrots in my sauce. Meat sauce or otherwise. I don’t add sugar either. I think you get the balance from a good yellow onion or from the fat in the meat. I do like how you put a whole carrot in. I just wouldn’t shred it or leave it in.
Looks good but spaghetti is the wrong noodle for big chunks of meat like that. Need a rigatoni or tagliatelle imo.
Every time a top tier gif recipe is posted it’s always you. Thanks for keeping this subreddit active even after all these years
Looks delicious, definitely in the rotation soon!