IT IS FINALLY HERE!!! GIGI'S SUNDAY GRAVY!! Or should I say...my childhood memories....my children's childhood memories...and now my grandchildren's childhood memories!! All in one pot!!! I know it sounds crazy to you but.....seriously....true!! I could go on and on about how great my mom's (GIGI) meatballs are. Or the pork in here that falls apart and melts in your mouth. The amazingly simply sauce...which is exactly how it is done in Italy. The less ingredients....the better. Not much needed in here because you want to get all the flavors from the ingredients in the meatballs and the flavors of the different porks. Let it come together for hours....thats what makes a true GRAVY!!!!! And yes...IT'S GRAVY....NOT SAUCE!!! Haha...that age old question.
The Gravy is amazing...but the memories....priceless!!! I can't even begin to tell you what that pot of Gravy means to our family. It is counted on....every Sunday...to bring the family together!!! To just all be together one day a week. There's nothing better than that. To just know that at the end of each week you will all be together. With a great pot of gravy....what else could you ask for. We even have our Sunday shirts and socks...haha!! It has meant so much to my children that my daughter, Chelsea, actually wrote her college entrance essay on exactly this...it was entitled "A NICE POT OF GRAVY"!!! Funny right, but it got her into every college!! I am now lucky enough to have my mom living right next door to me (surprising right???) and am so happy to be able to continue our sunday traditions...passing these memories on to my grandchildren now! I hope they will continue on forever!!
I could go on and on but I won't bore you any longer...let's get to making those meatballs so you can start making those memories with your families!!
GIGI'S SUNDAY GRAVY
FOR THE MEATBALLS
2 LBS GROUND BEEF
SALT & PEPPER
1 TBLSP GARLIC
1 TBLSP PARSLEY
1/2 CUP PECORINO ROMANO CHEESE
2 EGG
1/2 CUP BREADCRUMBS
OIL FOR FRYING
1 MEDIUM ONION
2 CANS OF CRUSHED TOMATOES
2 CANS OF TOMATO PUREE
BASIL
GARLIC POWDER
OLIVE OIL
1 SMALL PKG COUNTRY STYLE PORK SPARE RIBS
6 LINKS SWEET/HOT ITALIAN SAUSAGE (WHICH EVER YOU PREFER OR SOME OF BOTH)
Grab a large pot!! I know you already think....oh my god, this is going to be a project...but it's really not. Once you get everything into the pot it just cooks for hours. The hardest work you will have to do is frying your meatballs.
Drizzle a couple tablespoons of olive oil at the bottom of the pot. Add your sausage and spare ribs and begin cooking on a medium heat uncovered.
The Gravy is amazing...but the memories....priceless!!! I can't even begin to tell you what that pot of Gravy means to our family. It is counted on....every Sunday...to bring the family together!!! To just all be together one day a week. There's nothing better than that. To just know that at the end of each week you will all be together. With a great pot of gravy....what else could you ask for. We even have our Sunday shirts and socks...haha!! It has meant so much to my children that my daughter, Chelsea, actually wrote her college entrance essay on exactly this...it was entitled "A NICE POT OF GRAVY"!!! Funny right, but it got her into every college!! I am now lucky enough to have my mom living right next door to me (surprising right???) and am so happy to be able to continue our sunday traditions...passing these memories on to my grandchildren now! I hope they will continue on forever!!
I could go on and on but I won't bore you any longer...let's get to making those meatballs so you can start making those memories with your families!!
GIGI'S SUNDAY GRAVY
FOR THE MEATBALLS
2 LBS GROUND BEEF
SALT & PEPPER
1 TBLSP GARLIC
1 TBLSP PARSLEY
1/2 CUP PECORINO ROMANO CHEESE
2 EGG
1/2 CUP BREADCRUMBS
OIL FOR FRYING
1 MEDIUM ONION
2 CANS OF CRUSHED TOMATOES
2 CANS OF TOMATO PUREE
BASIL
GARLIC POWDER
OLIVE OIL
1 SMALL PKG COUNTRY STYLE PORK SPARE RIBS
6 LINKS SWEET/HOT ITALIAN SAUSAGE (WHICH EVER YOU PREFER OR SOME OF BOTH)
Grab a large pot!! I know you already think....oh my god, this is going to be a project...but it's really not. Once you get everything into the pot it just cooks for hours. The hardest work you will have to do is frying your meatballs.
Drizzle a couple tablespoons of olive oil at the bottom of the pot. Add your sausage and spare ribs and begin cooking on a medium heat uncovered.
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Give it a few minutes to start cooking and then dice your onion and throw it into the pot!! Season all well with salt & pepper. Cook on a soft simmer for 20 minutes or about the time it will take you to make your meatballs.
While this is cooking...you can make your meatballs!! Grab a large saute pan and heat your oil. You will want enough oil to go up halfway on the meatballs.
Get your meat into a bowl and add all of your ingredients. Remember the way the meatball story goes??? Salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, cheese, egg and breadcrumb!! ALL GOOD STUFF!! Now go in with your hands...but the trick is to wet your hands with water a few times as you mix adding small amounts as you go. This will get your meat to a nice smooth and soft texture. The meat will be soft and tender when its cooked. That's GIGI's secret!!!
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Now....let's roll!! Just look at those beautiful meatballs!!
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Now...Gigi's next trick. Flash Fry!! You want your oil hot when they go in and you only want to flash fry the meatballs. Turning them to brown all sides. You want to form that nice crust around the outside to hold them all together....but you really want them to cook in your gravy to give your gravy all the flavors!! They will all come out as they cook. And they will cook in the gravy for hours. OMG....I can't wait!!!
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So...by this time your meat in the pot is cooked and you can go ahead and add your cans of tomatoes.
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Add those beautiful meatballs to the pot and let it all come to a very soft simmer on a medium heat. When it gets to the simmer you can sprinkle on some more salt & pepper as well as about 1 TBLSP Garlic Powder. Also, add about 4 or 5 fresh whole basil leaves. Now turn down the heat to a low flame and cook with the top of the pot half on and half off to allow for some evaporation. This will help thicken the gravy.
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You have done it!! You have made your first "Nice Pot of Gravy"!!! Now it's all in the LOVE!! Let it cook on a very low flame...very softly...for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours!! Giving it a gentle stir once in awhile......look at the Love she puts into that pot!!!
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And more LOVE..................
And lastly....after the second hour you may just need to skim the top. So with a big spoon just skim off some of the fat that has collected on top from all the meat.
Then take it from Gigi and go have a cocktail while it finishes cooking!!! You have earned it!!
Cheers GIGI!!! Boil up your favorite pasta. For us it is a nice fat Rigatoni today. Gather your family...and neighbors... around the table. Eat. laugh. and make some memories!!! It all begins with a "NICE POT OF GRAVY"!!! From my family to yours....ENJOY!!! ALL GOOD STUFF!!!!
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We start them young around here.....gotta love a meatball lollipop in this family!!!!
WE LOVE SUNDAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOHOOOO!!!!!!!!
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