How to make a veal sauce that Nona would approve of.

**Jim** · 02-22-2009, 08:01 PM

OK lets get started~

What you need:

3- 28 ounces cans of plum tomatoes, San Marzano is best.

1 cup of chopped onion

4 cloves of garlic chopped

A large handful of fresh basil

2 lbs of veal, cubed

1 tsp of red pepper flake

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 oz EVOO

Dice, slice and cube everything to start.

Heat oil in large enough pot to fit all the tomatoes with plenty of room left over.

Brown cubed veal and reserve.

Lightly brown onions and half way through add garlic, reserve.

Brown 2 cans of tomatoes, Don't rush this part!

Add onions and garlic red pepper and salt.

Add the rest of the tomatoes.

Simmer on low for many hours, add water as needed.

(After 3 hours)

(After 6 hours)

Add reserved meat and Basil to sauce, cook one more hour.

Cook Pasta.

Enjoy!

**Obsessed** · 02-22-2009, 08:11 PM

Man, that looks good!

**Austin** · 02-22-2009, 08:16 PM

Very nice indeed!

**papasmurf** · 02-22-2009, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by Obsessed

Man, that looks good!

I tasted some this today before it was 100% ready . It tastes great . As I told Jim for me the only thing that would have made it better was if it had a little more heat .

His response was he would add more crushed red pepper later on .

I wish I would have stuck around for the end result .

Looks great Jim

Nick

**thirdeye** · 02-22-2009, 08:20 PM

Holy cow Jim, your wife is an awesome cook but you take a mean picture....

Crap, I'm hungry!!!...

**stobes21** · 02-22-2009, 09:03 PM

Excellent job Jim. I made a tomato meat sauce tonight from scratch that I was pretty proud of, and then I look at this and get all hungry again. I guess pasta is on the menu again once I get to the store for some veal.

Questions:

1. I assume from the photos that you opened and deseeded the tomatoes before cooking?
2. I also assume you added the liquid from the cans of tomatoes after browning the tomatoes themselves?
3. Do you cook uncovered and add water through the process or simmer it covered? Any particular reason why?

**Jim** · 02-22-2009, 09:14 PM

Originally Posted by stobes21

Excellent job Jim. I made a tomato meat sauce tonight from scratch that I was pretty proud of, and then I look at this and get all hungry again. I guess pasta is on the menu again once I get to the store for some veal.

Questions:

1. I assume from the photos that you opened and deseeded the tomatoes before cooking?
2. I also assume you added the liquid from the cans of tomatoes after browning the tomatoes themselves?
3. Do you cook uncovered and add water through the process or simmer it covered? Any particular reason why?

Yes, to both question one and two. I also put the liquid through a sieve to strain out the seeds. Getting the tomatoes dry assists in the browning process greatly.

I do cook uncovered at a very low heat level. If left covered the tomatoes do not break down and oxidize as well, the sauce does not behave the same for some reason. Allowing the mix to dry and then be re-hydrated multiple times just works better. I am sure Alton Brown could explain it to our satisfaction.

Thanks for the great questions.

**Red Crazy** · 02-23-2009, 09:21 AM

Oh Man..........I just finished lunch and I want to eat again.

**ouch** · 02-23-2009, 10:06 AM

It's vealy good.

-Basil Fawlty

**petr** · 02-23-2009, 10:36 AM

hubba hubba.

Jim, will you marry me?

.......what camera setup are you using Jim?

N I C E

**homebrewer** · 02-23-2009, 05:49 PM

Great pictures Jim... and you even included the one step that 99% of people forget. The importance of browning the tomatoes cannot be over emphasized, but the vast majority of people don't seem to know about this important step.

If I could add one thing though, it would be a splash of wine, or vodka. My grandmother taught me to always add a splash of some type of alcohol, because tomatoes have flavors that are only alcohol soluble... it could be bunk, but I've just always added some out of habit/tradition. As with anything else, YMMV

**castlecraver** · 02-28-2009, 01:28 PM

Here's my attempt. Hopefully it would make Jim happy, if not Nona

I'd never made a sauce using the plum tomato method Jim describes -- just the sauce/paste and chunks method. This came out considerably thicker, darker and chunkier (duh) but I think more flavorful and better to highlight the veal. I agree with Nick too in that the crushed red pepper really "makes" the sauce.

IMHO, not bad for a first attempt.

**Suzuki** · 03-01-2009, 05:34 PM

Nice Jim!

I agree about simmering with the lid off and then adding liquid - makes a huge difference vs. simmering with the lid on.

**revrosso** · 03-01-2009, 05:52 PM

It is all in the simmering. I think I will do this one this week.

Cheers Gents!

**Nick D.E.vious** · 03-01-2009, 05:56 PM

Looks delicious!

**Jim** · 03-01-2009, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by castlecraver

Here's my attempt. Hopefully it would make Jim happy, if not Nona

I'd never made a sauce using the plum tomato method Jim describes -- just the sauce/paste and chunks method. This came out considerably thicker, darker and chunkier (duh) but I think more flavorful and better to highlight the veal. I agree with Nick too in that the crushed red pepper really "makes" the sauce.

IMHO, not bad for a first attempt.

Wooo hoooo..... Pat nice job! I see you got the sauce nice and dark.

I think its safe to say that Nona would be proud.