Sunday Gravy

Diets

Ingredients

Meat
- 3 lb Italian sausage, sweet or hot
- 3 lb Pork, country-style ribs
- 2 lb Pork neck bones

Produce
- 3 Bay leaves
- 8 Garlic cloves
- 2 Spanish onions, medium
- 5 28-oz cans Tomatoes, whole

Ingredients

1/2 c. Olive oil
3 lb. sweet or hot Italian sausage (or mixture), sliced into 3-inch piece
2 lb. your favorite meatballs (about 24 formed meatballs*)
3 lb. country-style pork ribs,** preferably on the bone
2 lb. pork neck bones (though any beef or pork bones will do)
2 medium Spanish onions, finely chopped
8 garlic cloves, minced
12 oz. tomato paste
5 28-oz cans whole peeled tomatoes (preferably San Marzano) with juices, crushed by hand until no whole tomatoes remain
3 bay leaves
Hefty pinch sugar
2-3 tsp. Salt (to taste)

Directions

Coat cooking surface of large heavy-bottomed stockpot (at least 12 qts — were talking about a huge pot) with olive oil, place over medium-low heat, and brown all meats on all sides, working one at a time in this order: sausage, and remove; meatballs, and remove; ribs, and remove; then pork bones, leaving these in the pot. (Add more olive oil as needed.)Add onions to pork bones and slowly brown, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and lightly brown, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes.Add tomato paste and stir to coat onions and pork bones. Slowly cook until paste begins to thicken and turn deep reddish brown, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, bay leaves, and sugar. Stir well, making sure you get down to the bottom, and bring to a low boil.Lower heat and simmer uncovered until sauce begins to thicken. After an hour, add ribs; two hours, add sausage; three hours, add meatballs. Continue to simmer until a layer of oil forms on top, about another hour. Season to taste with salt.Use a slotted spoon to transfer meat to serving platter. Ladle sauce over your favorite pasta.