jdelasko
05-29-2007, 03:28 PM
I make this sauce in a big batch and freeze what I don't use immediately in serving size containers. Cooked spaghetti also freezes well. Freeze both for a quick spaghetti dinner on the days when you just don't have time to cook. I've adjusted this recipe over the years and everybody seems to like it.
INGREDIENTS
3 lbs 95% lean ground beef
5 lbs fresh, very ripe tomatoes
1 - 12 oz can tomato paste
1 - 6 oz can tomato paste (Optional, see directions below)
1 cup cream sherry wine (I use Taylor Cream Sherry)
1 cup water
4 Large fresh garlic cloves, crushed - see below
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
4 large bay leaves
1 Tsp crushed red pepper
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
1 Tbsp brown sugar
4 Tbsp olive oil, for browning ground beef onlyTomatoes that come in a can will almost always impart a bit of a 'tin can' taste to sauces prepared with it. I never use tomatoes from a can anymore. For spaghetti sauce that takes 3 hours to prepare, it can be really disappointing to find out it has a metallic taste when it's done. Prevent this from ever happening by using fresh tomatoes. Preparing fresh tomatoes takes a little time but the results are worth the effort.
PREPARING TOMATOES
http://images.allrecipes.com/images/5504.jpg
1. Remove any stickers and wash the tomato thoroughly. Remove the stem, but be careful to remove only as much of the tomato as is necessary to detach the stem and the green skin surrounding the stem from the red flesh of the tomato.
http://images.allrecipes.com/images/5776.jpg
2. Cut a very shallow X on the bottom of the tomato.
http://images.allrecipes.com/images/5778.jpg
3. This will aid in the actual peeling of the tomato later in the process.
http://images.allrecipes.com/images/5506.jpg
4. Prepare a bowl of ice water and set it aside. Place a pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil. Then, drop the tomato into the boiling water. You will remove it after 30 seconds or when the skin begins to peel. If you intend to peel several tomatoes make sure you have enough water for all of the tomatoes.
http://images.allrecipes.com/images/5508.jpg
5. Once you notice any skin peeling off the tomato, or that 30 seconds is up, quickly remove the tomato and place it into the prepared bowl of ice water.
http://images.allrecipes.com/images/5510.jpg
6. Let the tomato sit in the ice bath for at least 5 minutes. It is important that the tomato be cooled all the way through in order to stop the cooking process that immersing the tomato in boiling water began.
http://images.allrecipes.com/images/5988.jpg
7. Once the tomato has been chilled, remove it from the ice water. The tomato should still be very firm, with the skin wrinkled and hanging off of it slightly.
http://images.allrecipes.com/images/5990.jpg
8. Begin peeling the tomato. Peel the skin off with your hands.
http://images.allrecipes.com/images/5992.jpg
9. If the skin is stubborn, use a small sharp paring knife to remove the pieces of skin that will not budge, being careful not to squeeze the tomato.
http://images.allrecipes.com/images/5994.jpg
10. A peeled tomato! To remove the seeds, turn the tomato on its side and slice in half. Gently squeeze the tomato and most of the seeds will fall out.
For spaghetti sauce, chop tomatoes in a food processor for a few seconds. You can also chop them with a knife or any way you like.
DIRECTIONS
In a large non stick skillet. add 4 Tbsp olive oil. Add ground beef and cook on medium high heat until all of the meat is no longer pink in color and all liquid has cooked off. It is done when 2 things remain in the skillet, browned ground beef and clear fat and oil that were released from the beef or oil that was added to the skillet. Crumble the ground beef as you are cooking it. This will take about 20 minutes. Place cooked ground beef in a large colander and let the excess fat and oil drain off for 5 minutes.
Add prepared tomatoes, browned ground beef, and the rest of the ingredient to a pot. Use a pot with a heavy bottom or the sauce may burn on the bottom of the pot. If you don't have a pot large enough with a heavy bottom, go buy one.
Bring the contents of the pot to a boil. Reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste sauce after 1 hour. If you prefer a little more intense tomato flavor, add the 6 oz. can of tomato paste. Depending on how ripe the fresh tomatoes were that you used, this step may or may not be necessary. If sauce is too thin after cooking 2 hours, you can thicken it by turning up the heat just a little and simmering it uncovered for a while. Serve over pasta with freshly grated parmesan.
INGREDIENTS
3 lbs 95% lean ground beef
5 lbs fresh, very ripe tomatoes
1 - 12 oz can tomato paste
1 - 6 oz can tomato paste (Optional, see directions below)
1 cup cream sherry wine (I use Taylor Cream Sherry)
1 cup water
4 Large fresh garlic cloves, crushed - see below
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
4 large bay leaves
1 Tsp crushed red pepper
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
1 Tbsp brown sugar
4 Tbsp olive oil, for browning ground beef onlyTomatoes that come in a can will almost always impart a bit of a 'tin can' taste to sauces prepared with it. I never use tomatoes from a can anymore. For spaghetti sauce that takes 3 hours to prepare, it can be really disappointing to find out it has a metallic taste when it's done. Prevent this from ever happening by using fresh tomatoes. Preparing fresh tomatoes takes a little time but the results are worth the effort.
PREPARING TOMATOES
http://images.allrecipes.com/images/5504.jpg
1. Remove any stickers and wash the tomato thoroughly. Remove the stem, but be careful to remove only as much of the tomato as is necessary to detach the stem and the green skin surrounding the stem from the red flesh of the tomato.
http://images.allrecipes.com/images/5776.jpg
2. Cut a very shallow X on the bottom of the tomato.
http://images.allrecipes.com/images/5778.jpg
3. This will aid in the actual peeling of the tomato later in the process.
http://images.allrecipes.com/images/5506.jpg
4. Prepare a bowl of ice water and set it aside. Place a pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil. Then, drop the tomato into the boiling water. You will remove it after 30 seconds or when the skin begins to peel. If you intend to peel several tomatoes make sure you have enough water for all of the tomatoes.
http://images.allrecipes.com/images/5508.jpg
5. Once you notice any skin peeling off the tomato, or that 30 seconds is up, quickly remove the tomato and place it into the prepared bowl of ice water.
http://images.allrecipes.com/images/5510.jpg
6. Let the tomato sit in the ice bath for at least 5 minutes. It is important that the tomato be cooled all the way through in order to stop the cooking process that immersing the tomato in boiling water began.
http://images.allrecipes.com/images/5988.jpg
7. Once the tomato has been chilled, remove it from the ice water. The tomato should still be very firm, with the skin wrinkled and hanging off of it slightly.
http://images.allrecipes.com/images/5990.jpg
8. Begin peeling the tomato. Peel the skin off with your hands.
http://images.allrecipes.com/images/5992.jpg
9. If the skin is stubborn, use a small sharp paring knife to remove the pieces of skin that will not budge, being careful not to squeeze the tomato.
http://images.allrecipes.com/images/5994.jpg
10. A peeled tomato! To remove the seeds, turn the tomato on its side and slice in half. Gently squeeze the tomato and most of the seeds will fall out.
For spaghetti sauce, chop tomatoes in a food processor for a few seconds. You can also chop them with a knife or any way you like.
DIRECTIONS
In a large non stick skillet. add 4 Tbsp olive oil. Add ground beef and cook on medium high heat until all of the meat is no longer pink in color and all liquid has cooked off. It is done when 2 things remain in the skillet, browned ground beef and clear fat and oil that were released from the beef or oil that was added to the skillet. Crumble the ground beef as you are cooking it. This will take about 20 minutes. Place cooked ground beef in a large colander and let the excess fat and oil drain off for 5 minutes.
Add prepared tomatoes, browned ground beef, and the rest of the ingredient to a pot. Use a pot with a heavy bottom or the sauce may burn on the bottom of the pot. If you don't have a pot large enough with a heavy bottom, go buy one.
Bring the contents of the pot to a boil. Reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste sauce after 1 hour. If you prefer a little more intense tomato flavor, add the 6 oz. can of tomato paste. Depending on how ripe the fresh tomatoes were that you used, this step may or may not be necessary. If sauce is too thin after cooking 2 hours, you can thicken it by turning up the heat just a little and simmering it uncovered for a while. Serve over pasta with freshly grated parmesan.