Name: Sunday Meat Sauce
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 4 h 20 min
Total time: 4 h 50 min
Yield: 6 portions
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil, divided; 1 beef shank (about 1 inch thick); 2 lbs pork ribs; 2 bone-in chicken thighs; 1 diced onion; 6 cloves garlic, minced; 3 (28 oz) cans San Marzano plum tomatoes, crushed or blended smooth; 1/4 cup tomato paste; 2 cups water, more as needed; 2 tsp salt, or to taste; 1 tsp black pepper; 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes; 2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley; 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Flight plan

Method

Toss the beef shank, pork ribs and chicken thighs with 1 tbsp of the oil in a roasting pan.
Roast until well browned, 20 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat and cook the onion with a pinch of salt until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic for 1 minute.
Stir in the tomato paste, then add the tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups of the water and the browned meats.
Pour the last 1/2 cup water into the roasting pan, bring it to a boil and scrape up the browned bits, then pour it into the pot.
Stir in the Parmigiano, parsley, salt, black pepper and pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer, then turn the heat to low.
Simmer gently for about 4 hours, stirring and scraping the bottom now and then, until the meat is falling-apart tender. Add water if it gets too thick.
Lift out the meats, adjust the seasoning, and serve the sauce over pasta with the meat on the side.

Notes & tips

The notebook page only has the ingredient list ("Meat Sauce"). The method is from Chef John's Food Wishes video, "That Other Meat Sauce".
Any canned tomatoes work. Try puréed or crushed tomatoes and save a step.
Chef John says it's even better if the tomato paste caramelizes with the onions before the tomatoes go in.

Sunday Meat Sauce

Before you start

Method

Notes & tips

More from the notebook

Pork Fried Quinoa

Meatless Mincemeat Pie

Baked Rice Pilaf