Tag: cup tomato paste

That Other Meat Sauce

We did a classic Italian bolognese sauce not too long ago, which reminded me that I’ve actually never posted a basic, Italian-American meat sauce. This sauce goes by many names, including Sunday sauce, since that’s the day it’s traditionally made, but for me growing up, this was just called “sauce.”


This is one of those primal recipes that always follows the same procedure, yet almost never contains exactly the same ingredients. I was raised on a blend of beef, pork, and chicken, but any and all leftover proteins can, and must, be added to the pot.

Meatballs are a great choice; as are things like pigs feet, neck bones, and other similar cuts. The tougher the meat, the better it’s going to be in this sauce. Besides playing meat roulette, I’ll also switch different herbs like basil in and out, as well as include the occasional season vegetable.

You can also vary your results here with different tomato products. I went old-school and hand-crushed whole plums, but you can also use crushed or pureed tomatoes as well. The finer and smoother the tomatoes are processed, the thicker your sauce will be, so keep that in mind. Speaking of tomatoes; yes, it is much better to caramelize the tomato paste with the onions before you add the San Marzanos, but I didn’t because Grandma didn’t, and also, I forgot. 


As long as you cook the meat long enough, and season thoughtfully, there’s really no way this sauce isn’t going to be great. So, while you may not have grown up in an Italian-American home, with this comforting sauce simmering on the stove every Sunday, your family still can. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 6 portions:
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 beef shank
2 pounds pork ribs
2 bone-in chicken thighs
1 diced onion
6 cloves garlic
3 (28-oz) cans San Marzano plum tomatoes, crushed or blended smooth
(Note – any canned tomato product will work. Try with pureed or already crushed tomatoes and save a step)
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

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Beef & Guinness Stew – Drinking AND Eating Beer on St. Patrick’s Day

While I’ve never been a huge fan of drinking Guinness, I’ve
always been a great admirer of how wonderfully it can elevate a simple beef stew. The subtle
bitterness from the hops, and toastiness from the malt, gives the gravy a depth
of flavor that I really love.


Besides, you only need one can for this St. Patrick’s Day-inspired stew, and since they’re sold in 4-can packs…well, you can do the math.
This would normally be the point in post where I’d make my annual Irish
drinking joke, but I’m not doing one this year.

Not only is it inappropriate, but it’s culturally
insensitive, and I’d like to think I’ve matured past the point of going for
such cheap laughs. Besides, my Irish joke writer, Paddy O’Sullivan, was on a
binge this week, so I never got one from him anyway. Oh well, like I said,
probably for the best.

Anyway, if you’re looking for a gorgeous and incredibly
delicious Irish stew recipe for your St. Patrick’s Day menu, this one comes
highly recommended. I served mine with some green onion mashed potatoes, and
while I usually encourage you to serve things like this on whatever you want,
not this time. You must serve this with some form of potato. And that is no
joke. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 4 large servings:
4 strips bacon, sliced into small pieces
2 1/2 lb. beef chuck, cut in 2-inch pieces (tossed with
black pepper and at least 1 tsp salt)
2 onions, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14.0-oz) Guinness beer, or other dark beer
1/4 cup tomato paste
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 carrots, cut in 1-inch pieces
2 ribs celery, cut in 1-inch pieces
2 1/2 cups chicken stock, or as needed
1 tsp sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 cups mashed potatoes, optional (not really)
– Simmer stew on very low heat, covered, for about 2 hours,
or until fork tender
– Uncover, raise heat to med-high, and reduce, stirring
occasionally, until sauce thickens to your liking
Taste and adjust seasoning!

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Beef Goulash! Thick Hungarian Soup, Thin Austrian Stew, or None of the Above?

I’m not sure how authentic this goulash recipe is,
since the recipe I use is adapted from one by Austrian chef Wolfgang Puck.
Austria is Hungary-adjacent, and I’m pretty sure they were the same country once, but still, the Puckmeister’s version, further modified by me, is
closer to a stew called “Pörkölt.” Apparently true goulash, or Gulyás, is much more like a soup, and is served with dumplings.


Okay, two things. First, when it comes to a main course, I
like stew more than soup. If you want to stay truer to the original, add more
liquid. That’s not going to bother me, or Wolfgang. Also, since I operate in a
universe ruled by Google, I went with “goulash” since it’s a thousand times
more recognizable than pörkölt. When’s the last time you heard someone say they
were craving a big bowl of pörkölt?

Of course, none of this helps my American viewers who,
thanks to the cafeteria ladies from our childhoods, think “goulash” is a tomato,
hamburger, and elbow macaroni casserole. I’m assuming that variation was born
when some Hungarian (or Austrian?) immigrant tried to stretch the last few
ladles of soup/stew into another full meal.


Anyway, now that we’ve cleared up absolutely nothing, I can
talk about this gorgeous dish of food. I adore everything about this dish. The
color is stunning, the beef is sticky and succulent, and paprika-based sauce is
incredible.

By the way, I’ve heard from my people on YouTube that this is never served on noodles. How do you say, “whatever”
in Hungarian? Despite our questionable naming, ingredients, and side dish, this
made for a fantastic winter dinner, and I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 4 large portions of beef goulash:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes,
seasoned generously with salt and pepper
2 onions, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 teaspoons caraway seeds, toasted and ground
2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 tsp dried marjoram leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
4 cups chicken broth (1 to deglaze pan, 3 more added to
stew)

*Note: real goulash is more like a soup, so if you want yours thinner, just add 2 or 3 extra cups of broth.
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 bay leaf
1 tsp sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
*Simmer for about 2 hours, or until tender
Garnish with sour cream and fresh marjoram if desired.

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