Sunday Sauce

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 240 mins

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 12 Servings

smell in my Italian American household when I was growing up, and an indication that a tasty family dinner was up ahead.

Not familiar with Sunday sauce? This dish goes by other names like Sunday gravy or sugo and is a rich marinara-like sauce that has been cooked with meat — usually beef, pork, or lamb — for several hours on the stovetop, creating both a pasta sauce with lots of depth and braised pieces of meat in tow.

Every household prepares Sunday sauce differently. My mother, father, and grandmother would prepare the sauce for me, each with a slight variation in flavor due to different choices regarding the meat they added in or tomatoes, but all following the same basic principles: no holding back on olive oil, high-quality canned Italian tomatoes (or fresh!), browned meat, and several hours on the stovetop. This recipe takes everything I’ve learned from my family for a hearty meal that you’ll want to make on Sunday (or any day of the week).

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 4 pieces
1 pound uncooked sweet or hot Italian sausage links
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon granulated sugar, plus more as needed
1/4 packed cup fresh basil leaves (from 3 to 4 large sprigs)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
Cooked spaghetti, for serving

Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 2 pounds boneless beef chuck pieces and sear until golden-brown all over, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 1 pound uncooked sweet or hot Italian sausage links to the pot. Sear until golden-brown all over, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to the plate with the chuck.
Remove the pot from heat and let cool slightly, about 2 minutes.
Return the pot to medium heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and heat until shimmering. Add 5 minced garlic cloves and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden-brown, about 1 minute. Add 3 tablespoons tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste has darkened in color, about 1 minute.
Pour 2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes and their juices. Fill half of one of the empty tomato cans with water and pour the water into the pot. Using a wooden spoon or potato masher, break up the tomatoes into small bits. Add 1/4 packed cup basil leaves and season with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Increase heat to medium-high and bring the sauce to a rapid simmer. Return the chuck, sausages, and any accumulated juices to the pot. Reduce the heat to low and partially cover the pot. Gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chuck is falling apart, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
Transfer the chuck and sausages to a clean cutting board or plate. Shred the chuck with two forks into bite-sized pieces and cut the sausages into thick slices on a slight diagonal; return both to the sauce. (Alternatively, leave the meat whole and transfer to a platter, and use the sauce to sauce the pasta, serving the meat on the side for individuals to add to their plate and shred or cut as they want.)
Taste and season the sauce with more kosher salt and black pepper as needed. If the sauce tastes too tangy or acidic, add more granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Serve the sauce over cooked spaghetti.