Sunday Gravy
First of two mouthwatering courses featuring our rich, slow-simmered bubbling ragu — a true Italian comfort meal.
Believe it or not, Sunday gravy is typically served as two courses.
On Sundays, generations of Italian families gather around their mother’s or grandmother’s table, crowding into kitchens warmed by the aroma of a bubbling pot of slow-cooked meat sauce. At least, that’s how I picture it in my head—if I were ever lucky enough to be adopted by an Italian family.
While I may not have grown up with a nonna stirring sauce on the stove, I believe there’s something deeply communal and comforting about this kind of meal. In many ways, I think we've lost touch with this tradition in the United States: the idea of cooking slowly, intentionally, and together. For me, there’s nothing more beautiful than a dish crafted from whatever’s in the deep freeze, tucked in the fridge, or recommended by the local butcher that week.
This homemade Sunday ragu recipe is not the only way to make a traditional Italian meat sauce—but it’s one that combines the foundational techniques I learned in culinary school with a deep admiration for iconic Italian cooks like Marcella Hazan. What makes this sauce special are a few key practices I’ve picked up along the way:
Choose a Variety of Meats for a Deep, Rich Ragu: When it comes to a traditional ragu, there’s no one-size-fits-all cut. I’ve seen—and used—everything from beef chuck and ground pork to bresaola, oxtail, and pork coppa steaks. The key is to choose meats that benefit from long, slow braising and have a good amount of fat to enrich the sauce. Whether you’re pulling from your freezer or chatting with your local butcher, don’t be afraid to mix and match. That’s exactly what I did for this version, and the result was a deeply flavorful, hearty sauce.
Finely Chop the Mirepoix for Better Texture and Caramelization: Use a food processor to finely chop your onions, carrots, and celery—this classic mirepoix forms the backbone of your sauce. A finer chop not only helps the vegetables break down into a silky base but also allows them to brown and caramelize beautifully in the fond left over from searing the meat. Don’t skip this step; it makes a world of difference.
Why I Use Passata Instead of Whole Canned Tomatoes: I know it might sound like heresy to skip whole San Marzano tomatoes, but hear me out. Passata—strained tomato purée—gives your ragu a velvety texture with no seeds or skins to fuss over. It delivers consistent flavor and smoothness, which I personally love for this dish.
Sear the Meats Individually—It’s Worth It: Yes, it takes time. But individually searing each cut of meat is absolutely essential for building depth and complexity. This is the most labor-intensive part of the recipe, but that golden crust on each piece is what gives your sauce its signature richness. Don’t rush it—you’ll taste the payoff in every bite.
Sunday Gravy
Ingredients
2.5 - 3.5 lbs of whole beef chuck roast
1 rack of baby back pork ribs (approximately 1.5 - 2.5 lbs)
1.5 - 2.5 lbs of oxtail
6 carrots, peeled
6 ribs of celery, trimmed
1 large yellow onion, peeled and trimmed
8-10 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cups of dry red wine
4 tablespoons tomato paste
Two, 28 oz cans of passata or tomato puree
1 lb of pasta like radiator, penne, or rigatoni
Grated Pecorino Romano
Kosher salt to taste
Special Equipment
Seven quart Dutch oven
Serves 8-10 people
Directions
Place a large 7-quart Dutch oven over medium heat.
While the Dutch oven is heating, trim excess fat from the beef chuck and cut it into 1.5- to 2-inch wide strips. Remove the silver skin from the ribs and cut them into individual bones.
Working in small batches, sear the meat to develop color and build a fond on the bottom of the pot. Lightly salt each batch. Avoid overcrowding to ensure proper browning—this step takes time but is crucial for flavor.
As the meat browns, add the onions, carrots, and celery to a food processor and pulse until the pieces are about the size of peas.
Once all the meat is browned and removed from the pot, add olive oil to the Dutch oven. Stir in the chopped vegetables and cook for 5 to 8 minutes over medium heat, until golden and caramelized.
Pour in the red wine, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine simmer for a few minutes to cook off the alcohol.
Return the browned meat to the pot. Add one can of passata (or tomato purée) along with 1 cup of water. Due to the volume of meat, reserve the second can of passata for later in the cooking process.
Bring the sauce to a gentle bubble, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.
Toward the end of cooking, taste and season with kosher salt as needed. Remove the bones and any large meat pieces from the sauce. Stir in the second can of passata to refresh and slightly loosen the sauce. Expect some meat to have naturally broken down into the sauce.
First, serve the ragu tossed with pasta and topped with grated Pecorino Romano. Then, follow with the braised meats as a second course—simple, hearty, and equally delicious. Enjoy!