Cooked Gravy

I was thinking, after the "How To's" of making "Cooked Gravy" I would move away from my Italian heritage cooking and on to other areas. Cooked gravy is what most people buy Ragu for, but my hope is you will stop buying the jarred stuff and try making your own version of this recipe. Gravy is one of those things that changes each time you make it. Some batches are better than others and they are all dependant on what type of meat you add into them. There are very distinct flavors from meatballs, sausage, chicken, braciole and pork. When I was growing up Mom used to make it different all the time, but mainly used meatballs and sausage at the same time. Just thinking about that brings back so many memories of our home in Plantation Florida, loads of people crowded around the dining room table, lots of talking, laughing and eating! Ahhh I hope that this will help you create similar memories for you and your family.

Cooked Gravy

8-10 servings

2-3 Tbs virgin olive oil (enough to cover the bottom of the pot)
4-5 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 small onion chopped very small
3/4 cup dry red wine
4 large cans tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
2 Tbs Italian seasoning
1 Tbs Oregano
Dash of white pepper (if you like a little it a little spicy hot)
Salt & pepper to taste

First of all you need a very large heavy pot, at least an 8 quart. If you don't have a pot that large or you don't want to make a family sized pot of gravy, you can cut this recipe in half. Add all the tomato paste though. Start by adding enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pot very well. Heat oil on medium high heat, when the oil starts to bubble a little add the onion and cook and stir until it start to become translucent (approx. 5 minutes), then add the garlic, cooking and stirring until garlic begins to brown. While to onion and garlic are still sizzling in the pan add the wine (be careful it will steam up). Simmer rapidly until the wine is almost completely evaporated, approximately 5 minutes. Lower heat to medium and add all the other ingredients, stirring well to combine the paste into the sauce. Cover pot and bring it to a medium simmer, stirring every 15 minutes or so. Now it's time to decide what type of meat to add, which is the key to the flavor. Previously, I told you how to make meatballs, so you could add them now cooking covered for about an hour stirring regularly, then cooked another 30-60 minutes uncovered depending on how thick you want the gravy. With the lid off the liquid will evaporate and not only thicken, but the flavor will intensify, so the longer you cook it, the better it tastes. The biggest thing to watch for is not to burn the bottom, if you do, forget it, throw it away and start over because no amount of seasonings will make that taste go away! Some other things you can add are Italian sausage, chicken thighs or drumsticks, braciole, or pork chop. All of these meats add a certain flavor to the gravy. Here's what to do:

Italian Sausage
I usually boil sausage while I am browning onion and garlic for gravy, so that it is ready to add when the gravy is ready to begin simmering.
If you plan to add other meats besides the sausage use 1 lb. otherwise use 2 lbs. Do not cut the sausage up, put in whole, cut it right before serving.
Put sausage in a pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil slowly for about 10 minutes. Using tongs take out of water and add to the gravy. Once in the pot of gravy peirce the skin in several places to release the fat into the gravy. I know that sounds gross, but the flavor is in the fat. Sorry! LOL

Chicken thighs or drumsticks
Simply toss them in when you begin to simmer gravy. Most people leave the skin on when they are cooking the chicken, but if you are looking to reduce some of the fat then cook without skin.

Braciole pronounced Bra zhole
For those of you who don't know what this is, it's thinly sliced round steak, pounded, filled with cheese, fresh basil and garlic, rolled and tied, browned and cooked in the gravy for hours. It is absolutely fabulous! It is a Christmas Eve tradition in our family. You need to go to a butcher to get the round steak cut "braciole" style. Rife's Meat Market in St. Cloud Florida knows how to do it, which totally surprised me. So here's what to do:

4-6 steaks
1 package fresh basil
1 package shredded mozzarella cheese
1 package grated Parmesan cheese
4-5 cloves minced garlic
regular string

Cover meat with plastic wrap and pound with meat mallet (flat side) or rolling pin until it is thin and even. The whole purpose of pounding the meat is to begin to break down the muscle, so you don't need to pound it until it's mushy, just a little! Place enough of garlic, basil and cheese to cover the meat medium thickness. Start at small end of the meat and gently roll trying not to push or squeeze the toppings out. Tie with the string at both ends and in the middle. In a frying pan heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan at medium high heat. Brown on all sides and then add to the gravy. The longer you cook this the more tender it is, at least 2 hours. When ready to serve, put on platter, cut string and remove, and slice so that it looks like a pinwheel.

Pork Chop
Just throw in as much as you want and cook at least 2 hours.

That's it for today, I pray that you will learn something new, enjoy the cooking, and make a new memory!