Sunday Gravy Meat

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl add the egg, breadcrumbs and milk. Mix well. Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Then add all the ground meat and mix until combined. Don't over mix.

Form ground meat into golfball size meatballs and place them on a baking sheet. They can touch, since they will shrink in the oven. Bake the meatballs for about 20 minutes. The outside will get browned, but they may not cook all the way through- don't worry. They will cook in the sauce.

Meanwhile, in a large stock pot, over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the ribs and sausage to the pot. You want to brown all the meat, but not cook it through. Don't overcrowd the pan.

You want the meat to brown, not steam. This will take several batches. Just place the browned meat on a platter until you are done.

Once all the meat is browned add the onions and carrots. Add another pinch of salt. Using a wooden spoon, mix the veggies in the pot and release all those browned pieces of meat from the bottom of the pot. Lower the heat if you need to, so you don't burn the veggies. Cook for about 5 minutes until they get soft. If you haven't gotten up all the browned pieces of meat from the bottom, add a splash of water and that should release it.

Add the tomatoes to the pot along with all the meat. Fill one of those 28oz. cans with water and add that to the pot too. Add the basil and parmesan rind. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook over a low heat for the next three hours, uncovered.

The sauce is ready once the meat on the ribs is falling off the bone. If the sauce gets too thick you can add more water or some stock to thin it out.

Remove the parmesan rind before serving. Adjust taste with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve with additional parmesan cheese.