Sauce, Spaghetti, Meat, Jeff's

Ingredients

Meat

• 1 lbs. ground beef
• 1 lbs. Italian Sausage
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 8 to 16 oz. sliced mushrooms
• Salt/Pepper to taste (I use SPG)

Sauce

• 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup dry red wine (I like Merlot)
• 6 oz. tomato paste
• 2 tsp hot sauce
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (wash your sister sauce)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
• 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes, undrained
• 8 oz. tomato sauce
• 4 oz. cream cheese

Seasonings

• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp. dried parsley
• 2 tsp. basil
• 2 tsp. mustard powder
• 2 tsp. salt to taste
• 1.5 tsp. oregano
• 2 pinches red pepper flakes

Directions

In a sauce pot or crock pot, add the following…

1. Crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste.
2. All the seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, cream cheese (if using) and sugar.
3. Mix this well and set the crock pot or sauce pot to high
4. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.

Add onions and a bit of SPG.

1. Let them soften for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the Italian Sausage and cook for about 3 minutes.
3. Add the ground beef and a bit more SPG and cook about 5 minutes.
4. Add garlic, mushrooms, and bell peppers and cook for another 3 minutes or so.
5. Transfer this mixture to the sauce pot \ crock pot while draining excess grease (but leave a little… There is a lot of flavor in there).
6. Put the cast iron skillet back on the stove and deglaze with the red wine.
7. Cook down for 5-6 minutes, or until just a little liquid remains and the alcohol smell is gone.

Add this to the sauce pot \ crock pot

1. If using a sauce pot, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and partially cover.
2. If using a crock pot, set to high and partially cover so steam can escape and the sauce will cook down.
3. Keep covered partially and let the sauce simmer over medium-low heat (low for crock pot) for 45 minutes, or until desired thickness and consistency is obtained. Stir occasionally throughout cooking to lift any meat that settles to the bottom.
4. Serve with pasta of choice and garlic bread with cheese.

Notes

I like to add a combination of ground sausage, pork, and/or veal can be added to the ground beef well.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir work well here.

Up to 4 oz. of softened cream cheese is a really nice addition to this sauce. It balances everything out. Up to ¾ cup heavy cream can also be added.

The Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and mustard powder are all flavor enhancers that you can’t taste outright. The hot sauce doesn’t make it spicy. I usually use Frank’s hot sauce for this recipe.