Thread: Sauce!

Because the boys did not have baseball games this weekend (Memorial Day) I had more time than usual today. That meant finally following through on my promise to Deb to make sauce.

(Note: real Italian sauce cannot be made in less than 10 hours)

So I have had a gigantic (5-6 gallon) pot (also a requirement!) cooking slowly on the stove since about 9AM. We will enjoy it tomorrow with a guest after church.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!

10 hours?

Fred, being born of Sicilian descent I concur. Sauce is a labor of love. The longer it steeps the better.

I trust that the fine workers at the Prego factory spent at least 10 hours on my spaghetti sauce.

Originally Posted by Reformed Thomist

I trust that the fine workers at the Prego factory spent at least 10 hours on my spaghetti sauce.

Blasphemy. Repent or you will be consigned to Chef Boyardee forever.

Originally Posted by Herald

Originally Posted by Reformed Thomist

I trust that the fine workers at the Prego factory spent at least 10 hours on my spaghetti sauce.

Blasphemy. Repent or you will be cosigned to Chef Boyardee forever.

True 'dat!!

Originally Posted by Re4mdant

10 hours?

I know, that is not very long, but remember I said minimum. It will likely wind up cooking about 12-14, unless I decide to let it simmer overnight.

Originally Posted by fredtgreco

Originally Posted by Re4mdant

10 hours?

I know, that is not very long, but remember I said minimum. It will likely wind up cooking about 12-14, unless I decide to let it simmer overnight.

My wife, whose Italian ancestry must be traced back to Noah before returning to Italia (unless there's a missing tribe or some such that links with her later), makes a wonderful sauce. She spends a couple of days getting it just right. Buon appetito!

Originally Posted by fredtgreco

Because the boys did not have baseball games this weekend (Memorial Day) I had more time than usual today. That meant finally following through on my promise to Deb to make sauce.

(Note: real Italian sauce cannot be made in less than 10 hours)

So I have had a gigantic (5-6 gallon) pot (also a requirement!) cooking slowly on the stove since about 9AM. We will enjoy it tomorrow with a guest after church.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!

Well, if you need some fresh oregano, I've got about a bushel that I just cut for drying. Smells pretty good right now in the back yard.

Sounds like a man after my own heart and tastes. The last time I made sauce (for the calzones) it was 18 hours. 10 is a bit shy, but will do in a pinch.

Theognome

I like to think of myself as a self-made spagetti sauce chef but I would like to learn from the best. Here is how I make my spagetti sauce, tell me if I am doing anything wrong.

1. Brown the meat (hamburger or Italian sausage or both)
2. Add sliced garlic, lots of them, never too many, and jalepeno peppers and/or other assorted spicy peppers, my wifes Korean and we all like our sauce spicy.
3. Throw meat, garlic and peppers into large pot.
4. Dice onion, mushrooms, zuchinni etc. and stir-fry with olive oil then throw into large pot with meat.
5. Dice tomatoes, stir-fry and add to large pot also.
6. Add some dark red wine.
7. Simmer for a few hours, I know, this is blasphemy.
8. Add fresh basil, oregano, thyme if available, I usually have a herb garden but didn't have time to put it in this year. Splash with some good quality olive oil just before serving.

How would you do it differently?

Also, I have the means to make noodles but have not tried my hand at it yet, so a good noodle dough recipe would be appreciated.

You know, there must be some axiomatic correlation between good sauce in Italian / Sicilian cooking and barbecue. They both take good ingredients, a lot of time, skill, and most of all love in their preparation. Poor facsimiles are attempted in most restaurants and sadly most people do not get to experience the sublime joy of a properly prepared meal.

Originally Posted by fredtgreco

Originally Posted by Re4mdant

10 hours?

I know, that is not very long, but remember I said minimum. It will likely wind up cooking about 12-14, unless I decide to let it simmer overnight.

Sauce (often called "gravy" or even just "marinara") is typically better the second time you serve the same pot. After the initial partaking, put the pot in the fridge, heat it up again in a couple days, very tasty.

-----Added 5/29/2009 at 04:47:49 EST-----

Originally Posted by LawrenceU

You know, there must be some axiomatic correlation between good sauce in Italian / Sicilian cooking and barbecue. They both take good ingredients, a lot of time, skill, and most of all love in their preparation. Poor facsimiles are attempted in most restaurants and sadly most people do not get to experience the sublime joy of a properly prepared meal.

To be fair. Italian and Sicilian are not really the same thing. We Sicilians allow ourselves to be called "Italian" by our American brethren (but not "EYEtalian"...them are fighting words) because it's taxing to explain the difference constantly.

But for those who care, Sicily is an Island with a unique history and cultural background that provide a separate identity for Sicilians. Yes it's part of Italy proper, but her people are not really the same. The red sauces and fish additives is very Sicilian while the white (alfredo) sauces are more the Northern, mainland variety.

Sicilians, by the way, are also well noted for their family values, creativity, and shall we say, organizational skills...they make offers that cannot be refused.

Northern Italians are a more European, fair complected lot. Nothing wrong with those things...just not the same as Sicilians.

Originally Posted by Reepicheep

Originally Posted by LawrenceU

You know, there must be some axiomatic correlation between good sauce in Italian / Sicilian cooking and barbecue. They both take good ingredients, a lot of time, skill, and most of all love in their preparation. Poor facsimiles are attempted in most restaurants and sadly most people do not get to experience the sublime joy of a properly prepared meal.

To be fair. Italian and Sicilian are not really the same thing. We Sicilians allow ourselves to be called "Italian" by our American brethren (but not "EYEtalian"...them are fighting words) because it's taxing to explain the difference constantly.

But for those who care, Sicily is an Island with a unique history and cultural background that provide a separate identity for Sicilians. Yes it's part of Italy proper, but her people are not really the same. The red sauces and fish additives is very Sicilian while the white (alfredo) sauces are more the Northern, mainland variety.

Sicilians, by the way, are also well noted for their family values, creativity, and shall we say, organizational skills...they make offers that cannot be refused.

Northern Italians are a more European, fair complected lot. Nothing wrong with those things...just not the same as Sicilians.

Another way to put it-

The Moors conquered Sicily, not Italy.

Theognome

Originally Posted by Reepicheep

Originally Posted by fredtgreco

Originally Posted by Re4mdant

10 hours?

I know, that is not very long, but remember I said minimum. It will likely wind up cooking about 12-14, unless I decide to let it simmer overnight.

Sauce (often called "gravy" or even just "marinara") is typically better the second time you serve the same pot. After the initial partaking, put the pot in the fridge, heat it up again in a couple days, very tasty.

-----Added 5/29/2009 at 04:47:49 EST-----

Originally Posted by LawrenceU

You know, there must be some axiomatic correlation between good sauce in Italian / Sicilian cooking and barbecue. They both take good ingredients, a lot of time, skill, and most of all love in their preparation. Poor facsimiles are attempted in most restaurants and sadly most people do not get to experience the sublime joy of a properly prepared meal.

To be fair. Italian and Sicilian are not really the same thing. We Sicilians allow ourselves to be called "Italian" by our American brethren (but not "EYEtalian"...them are fighting words) because it's taxing to explain the difference constantly.

But for those who care, Sicily is an Island with a unique history and cultural background that provide a separate identity for Sicilians. Yes it's part of Italy proper, but her people are not really the same. The red sauces and fish additives is very Sicilian while the white (alfredo) sauces are more the Northern, mainland variety.

Sicilians, by the way, are also well noted for their family values, creativity, and shall we say, organizational skills...they make offers that cannot be refused.

Northern Italians are a more European, fair complected lot. Nothing wrong with those things...just not the same as Sicilians.

Please don't think that I was equating Italy and Sicily. I know there are big differences. But, there is a great deal of influence going in both directions in the gastronomic realm. My sister was a missionary in Fierenze for several years and I learned a great deal from here about the areas. Fascinating place. Almost as fascinating as the South!

Originally Posted by fredtgreco

Because the boys did not have baseball games this weekend (Memorial Day) I had more time than usual today. That meant finally following through on my promise to Deb to make sauce.

(Note: real Italian sauce cannot be made in less than 10 hours)

So I have had a gigantic (5-6 gallon) pot (also a requirement!) cooking slowly on the stove since about 9AM. We will enjoy it tomorrow with a guest after church.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!

YES more than 10 hours, i love it when my mom and grandma make the Sauce. They put things in it that my wife is like WHA?

HA.

I'm Italian too Fred, just not as much as you.

As an update on this thread, I can testify that the sauce was delicious!

The sauce was good, but the company was better!

Another way to put it-

The Moors conquered Sicily, not Italy.

Theognome[/QUOTE]

Great, thanks.

Be looking for a horse head in your bed some time soon...