Beef and Pork Italian Sunday Gravy

In Italian-American homes, Sunday gravy is less a recipe than a ritual: a great pot of tomato sauce, enriched with meatballs and slow-braised cuts of pork and beef, simmering on the stove from morning until the family gathers. The long, gentle cook is the whole point — it melts the meat to tenderness and folds all that savory richness into the sauce. It is a dish that asks for a leisurely day and repays it with a table full of people.

The Meatballs & the Sear

Depth is built by browning. Mix the meatballs gently — overworking makes them dense — and brown them well, then sear the other cuts of pork and beef hard until a deep crust forms on every side. That fond, the browned bits left in the pot, is pure flavor, and it becomes the backbone of the gravy. Set the seared meats aside while you build the sauce; they will return to finish cooking, slow and low, until spoon-tender.

The Slow Braise

Soften the garlic and onion in the rendered fat, deglaze with a splash of wine, and add the tomatoes to build the sauce, scraping up every browned bit. Return all the meat to the pot, tuck in the herbs, and let it braise at the barest simmer for hours — stirring now and then so nothing catches — until the meat is falling apart and the gravy has thickened into something glossy and profound. Serve it over your pasta of choice, with the meats piled alongside or right on top.

Jorj Morgan

Beef and Pork Italian Sunday Gravy

Sunday Gravy invites an afternoon of slow, aromatic indulgence, marrying tender beef short ribs, savory Italian sausage, and hand-rolled meatballs in a rich, deeply braised tomato sauce. This magnificent, family-style masterpiece transforms humble ingredients into a luxurious, soul-satisfying experience.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 5 hours hrs

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

Meatball Meat & Binder

• 3 slices white bread
• ¼ cup whole milk
• ¾ pound lean ground beef
• ¾ pound ground pork
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Meatball Seasonings & Baking

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil for baking

The Searing Proteins

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 meaty beef short ribs
• 3 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons coarse black pepper
• 4 links Italian sausage cut in half

The Aromatics & Braising Liquid

• 2 large white onions peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
• 6 cloves garlic peeled and minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 quart low-sodium beef stock
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

The Serving Elements

• 1 pound dried fettuccine pasta
• Fresh basil for garnish
• Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Method

 

The Meatball Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. In a small bowl, soak the slices of white bread in the milk for 10 minutes until completely softened.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, dried oregano, fresh parsley, Parmesan cheese, kosher salt, and black pepper.
4. Add the milk-soaked bread (and any unabsorbed milk) to the meat mixture. Using your hands, gently combine the ingredients without overworking, and form into 2-inch meatballs.
5. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, place the meatballs on the sheet, and roll gently to coat. Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown, then set aside.

The Protein Sear

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Generously season the beef short ribs with the kosher salt and coarse black pepper.
3. Add the short ribs to the hot oil and sear aggressively on all sides until a deep, dark crust forms, about 10 minutes. Transfer the ribs to a holding platter.
4. Add the halved Italian sausage links to the Dutch oven and sear until well browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the sausage to the same platter as the short ribs.

Building the Gravy

1. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onions to the rendered fat in the Dutch oven and cook until softened and golden, about 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 60 seconds until fragrant.
3. Deglaze the pot by pouring in the dry red wine, scraping up all the browned bits (fond) from the bottom. Simmer until the wine is almost completely reduced.
4. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and 3 cups of the beef stock. Stir in the granulated sugar and season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

The Slow Braise

1. Return the seared short ribs and sausage (along with any rested juices) to the Dutch oven.
2. Cover with a heavy lid and simmer on very low heat on the stovetop for 4 hours (or transfer to a 250°F oven for 6 hours) until the short rib meat is incredibly tender and falling off the bone.
3. During the final 30 minutes of the braise, gently submerge the baked meatballs into the simmering sauce along with the fresh chopped basil. (If the gravy is too thick, add the remaining beef stock; if too thin, simmer uncovered to reduce).

The Pasta Assembly

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the fettuccine according to the package instructions until al dente, then drain.
2. Transfer the hot pasta to a large serving bowl. Ladle a generous amount of the Sunday Gravy over the noodles and toss to coat completely.
3. Top the pasta with the short ribs, sausage, and meatballs. Garnish heavily with fresh basil and serve family-style alongside grated Parmesan cheese.