Italian Sunday Sauce

Recipe View 5 mins Season the pork neck bones generously on all sides with kosher salt and black pepper.

Recipe View 6 mins In a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot or Dutch oven, heat 4 teaspoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the neck bones for approximately 6 minutes, ensuring you flip them halfway through to achieve even browning. Transfer the seared bones to a plate and set aside.

Recipe View 6 mins Introduce the Italian sausage links to the pot, taking advantage of the rendered drippings. Brown the sausages for about 3 minutes on each side, adding the remaining olive oil as needed to prevent sticking. Once browned, set the sausages aside with the pork.

Recipe View 7 mins Add the finely chopped white onion to the pot, seasoning lightly with salt. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion becomes soft and translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until its fragrance fills the air, about 1 minute. Incorporate the tomato paste, stirring continuously for 1 minute to deepen its flavor.

Recipe View 5 mins Pour in the tomato puree and crushed tomatoes, followed by the water and sugar. Stir diligently until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Add the bay leaf. Gently rub the dried basil and oregano between your fingers to awaken their aromatic oils, then add them to the sauce.

Recipe View 6 hrs Slice the browned sausages into hearty chunks and return them to the pot, along with the seared neck bones. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add the cooked meatballs, reduce the heat to low, and allow the sauce to simmer, stirring occasionally, for a minimum of 4 hours, but ideally up to 6 hours, to allow the flavors to meld and deepen.

Recipe View 5 mins Carefully remove the neck bones and bay leaf from the sauce. Extract any remaining meat from the bones, shred it, and return it to the sauce, enriching its texture and flavor.