Italian Sauce can vary from family to family, but we take our sauce very serious and we always think our way is the best. It can also depend if you come from northern or southern Italy. We also don’t eat everyone’s sauce, we’re picky about where we go to eat Italian food. Different parts of the country don’t carry all the brands so you may have to use what’s available to you….. or write me and I’ll have to send you the “real” stuff. I have found an Italian import store called Clara’s should you live on the west coast.
- 1 lb sweet Italian sausage (I know some places like NC doesn’t carry it fresh so you’d need to look in the freezer aisle, unless you have an Italian import market)
- 2 pork chops- (with bone)
- Olive oil – 2-3 tbs
- Garlic- 2 cloves- you can also use garlic powder (1 tsp) but the real thing is better!
- Parsley- 3 tbs- ( I measure this by my palm- I pour it in the palm of my hand and crush as I add it)
- salt- 1/2 tsp- (you may need to add more later)
- Italian seasoning- 4 shakes (sorry…1/2 tsp)
- Basil- I use 2 fresh basil leaves (in produce) We grow our own and freeze it
- pepper- 1/4 tsp
- 4 cans 28oz peeled Italian tomatoes or crushed tomatoes (I use Tuttorosso or Progresso…try to stay with something Italian)
- 5-6 cans 6 oz tomato paste (I use Contadina)
- 2 cans of water (use the tomato cans)Coat bottom of large sauce pot with Olive oil
NO SUGAR- Sugar is only added if your tomatoes are acidic – and if you need to add it, only do a pinch at a time.
- Brown sausage and pork chops on both sides (once you get it down- you can try braciole or to go spicy add pepperoni)
- Once meat is browned- finely chop 2 cloves of garlic and add to pan—-cook garlic..not letting it burn
- While that’s cooking- open your cans of crushed tomatoes
- One can at a time pour into blender (add the basil leaves to one)- to stay ahead, I pour them back in the can, so I can have them all ready
- Pour all the tomatoes into pot (on top of the meat)
- Add 2 cans (from tomatoes) of water to sauce…I’ll pour into each can so I can get all the leftover tomato
- Add- parsley…..pour in palm and crush as you pour in pot.
- Add Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper (Italian seasoning is simply oregano and rosemary, you can use fresh herbs if you have them but only about 1/4-1/2 tsp each) Too much oregano will make your sauce taste like pizza sauce which is different from your macaroni sauce)
- Stir in spices — Use a wooden spoon (that’s what Nonni does)
- Add your tomato paste- it’s thick and clumpy but keep stirring- this is what’s going to thicken your sauce
- Turn to LOW- if you have a splatter guard- use it- do not cover-
- Cook for at least 3-4 hours- stirring every 10 mins in the beginning, then maybe every 15 mins or so. Keep watch of the bottom…some pots will burn the bottom of the sauce- if this happens- DO NOT scrap it up into the sauce or it’ll taste burnt. After about 2-3 hours you can do a taste test on bread- do NOT dip the bread into the sauce, this is a huge no no, take some out and put it in a dish or bowl.
I’ll sometimes make 6-8 cans and my sauce will cook 8 hours or more. This recipe is for a smaller sauce so you can try it after 3-4 hours.
Couple things to know- If you’re cooking on an electric stove- you may want to get a burning preventer
Also depending if you’re Italian or Sicilian the sauce is made different. We don’t put onion in it but some people do- you can always try one with some onion powder(1/2 tsp) to see if you like it.
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Thanks for sharing. My MIL’s recipe is similar to this. I am going to have to try using a pork chops next time in my sauce. I usually use some type of beef bone.
I always use some type of pork, it gives a totally different flavor than a meat sauce. Let me know how you like it
I’m so going to make this when my husband gets back in town. His “true” love was Italian and I have refused to make sauce because I don’t want to hear the comparisons! I’m gonna rock this and I’ll let you know how it goes!
Whoot! Go Julee!!! pictures pictures!
Ohh, thanks for the recipe! Always great to see how other Italians make their sauce!
We all kinda have the same basics
WOW – so different than how we make sauce (I think we’re more along the Sicilian lines since we use onion…but my mom is from Naples).
What part of Italy is this from? I have never tried making sauce with meat at the beginning. We make the sauce, can it, and THEN when we’re ready to use the sauce we add meat if needed. I love hearing how different people make different sauces!
We fry up the meat first to get the flavor, one grandfather is Sicilian and the other is Caprese. Both do the meat first, but one adds onion and the other doesn’t…haha
love that you shared this. My family does not use pork chops but other parts of the pig….never ate that part….
As long as it’s pork, you still get the same flavor- I do the pork chops because my girls love them and they don’t eat the sausage. If you want the sauce spicy- tr frying up pepperoni chucks then leaving it in while it cooks. yummmmm
Sounds delicious, I pinned it ! Thank you for sharing, I always wanted to know how to make homemade sauce
Rose let me know how you like it- Lots of pics or video
Sounds amazing Rachel! Really looking forward to trying your recipe. I have never made our sauce from scratch, this gives me the extra boost to try it.
You’re gonna love it- I’m also doing a post (on another blog) on 5 meals you can get from it!
sounds yummy can’t wait to try this Thanks for sharing always looking for something different
Let me know Teresa!! I have an aunt Theresa… surprise surprise haha
I have family from the Northern Italy/ Yugoslavia area and this sounds AMAZING! We put vinegar and a scosh of brown sugar in our Italian sauce. Not much – just enough to bring out the tang!
I’ve never seen anyone do it with the pork chops bone in, interesting, sounds yummy!
Quick and easy, two of my favorite words.
haha yes I like those words too!
My nonna made is similar too. I also throw in a bay leaf with a dash of sugar for the bitterness. I also like to use pork bones and when the sausages are done, I take them out and cut them into pieces.
I also take the sausage out and cut into pieces, sometimes I cook a lot extra and then make sausage and peppers.
I like the Pork Chop Idea. I have to try this I have never made my own from scratch. You also had me at garlic.. I love garlic.
Oh. My. Gosh!
This sauce is fantastic!
I made it and wow!
http://mommysmemorandum.com/making-dinner-bon-jovi-style/