Casa Pizzi’s Sunday Gravy with Short Ribs and Italian Sausage
I am super excited to share our Sunday gravy with short ribs and hot Italian sausage recipe with you.
We LOVE spaghetti. I mean, who doesn’t? But, we love spaghetti so much, we even named our dog Spaghetti! Spaghetti, to me, is more than just food; it’s our family. Although it’s not really the spaghetti that matters; it’s the gravy that’s the star of the dish. The spaghetti, or whatever pasta you use, is just the vessel. The gravy makes the dish.
Growing up, whenever we had large family gatherings (or even just small gatherings), you could guarantee Sunday gravy was going to be on the menu. Even on Thanksgiving, we’d serve pasta before the turkey! What I’m sharing with you here is special, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Welcome to Casa Pizzi.
This is a tomato sauce, so the most important ingredient is, obviously, the tomatoes. Don’t skimp here. Buy real San Marzano tomatoes. They make a difference. They’re more expensive than other ones, but spend the extra $3 a can. Good ingredients make a good gravy.
It’s also not a Sunday gravy without meat. You can make Sunday gravy with lots of different kinds of meat. Some people like to use bracioles, meatballs, or pork ribs, but my favorite is beef short ribs and hot Italian sausage, specifically Johnsonville Hot Italian Sausage. We have tried so many brands of sausage, including local deli made ones, but this brand is the best. After we slow cook it for 6 hours, it is fork-tender and delicious.
Sunday gravy with braised short ribs and hot Italian sausage
Sunday gravy recipe is about quality ingredients, love, and patience. The steps are simple, but this deliciousness takes time. In the first 45 minutes, you need to stay close, but afterward, you can walk away and let it simmer for 6 hours, and your house will smell amazing. You are welcome!
Sunday gravy with braised short ribs and hot italian sausage
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 3 Carrots chunks
- 1 Yellow onion
- 2 Tbsp Olive oil
- 4 Short ribs meaty
- 5 Hot Italian sausage Johnsonville
- 1 Head garlic peeled and miced
- 3 oz red wine
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Cup Spaghetti Seasoning
- 1/4 cup dried parsley
- 12 leaves fresh basil use 1 Tbsp dried if fresh is not available
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 Tbsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- red pepper flakes Optional
- 4 28 oz cans of San Marzano tomatoes Blended
Instructions
- First, place the carrots and onion in the food processor and chop.
- Coat the bottom of a large pot with 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Place carrot and onions in the pot and cook on medium to medium-low heat for 35 minutes. You want to caramelize the onions. Be careful not to burn them. If they begin to stick to the pan, add some water to deglaze the pot and continue cooking.
- Meanwhile, season the short ribs liberally with salt and in a separate pan, brown the short ribs and sausage while the carrots and onions cook. Remove and set aside, but save the rendered fat. You'll add this to the carrots and onions later.
- At the 35-minute mark of cooking the carrots and onions, they should have lost all their water and be a dark brown, but not burnt color. Add the minced garlic, fat-renderings, and tomato paste to the pot and stir for a few minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Add red wine and cook until the liquid reduces (about 5 minutes).
- Next, add the blended San Marzano tomatoes to the pot and mix.
- Finally, season the pot with spaghetti seasoning, dried parsley flakes, basil, bay leaf, dried oregano, salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Add the meats and mix all ingredients. Simmer on low heat for 6 hours or until the short ribs are fork-tender.
I recommend making this a day ahead of when you want to serve it. If you have any left, you can freeze it in a large container or large cubes. Also, if you are feeling friendly, you can pour it into large mason jars and share it with friends.
Find more savory recipes here.
