TulaneLSU's Sunday gravy and meatballs: Sorry, please move to Food Board

Dear Friends,

Some of you say you wish you had the free time I do. But this time can be a curse. It allows you to dwell, think, and realize that I have a lacking of friends. Perhaps that is why I call you my friends -- a sort of coping mechanism. I do deeply care for you, and perhaps the feelings are not reciprocated. For that I cannot change you, and I ask you forgive me for any annoyance I might cause you.

When I do have friends over, seldom though it may be, I like to cook for them. I'm not the greatest cook in the world. I can follow a recipe and occasionally I go off the skit and create something worthy of finer palates. One dish for which other have given me good marks is my Sunday gravy and meatballs.

Truth be told, one of my good friends as a child was the grandson of a very well known organized crime figure. I did not realize until later in life the connection, and it shocked me. I often went over to his grandparents' house, and his grandmother would always have something cooking. It was almost always red and the smells so wonderful. I don't know if my home shares in that smell right now -- I would like to think it does.

About a month before she died, I asked her if I could have her meatballs and red gravy recipe. She complied with my request, telling me not to share it with anyone but my closest friends. Since you are my closest friends, I have decided to share with you today and provide you with ten photographs.

Shall we begin?

It all starts with the ingredients as you see here:



Sauce:
1. 3 28oz whole tomatoes, canned
2. 1 pound of pork bones that have meat on them
3. 1 pound Italian sausage (homemade is best, but Terranova has a good one)
4. 1 pound of veal stew meat (Mother usually stocks my freezer with this and good bones each time she travels to Florida. Apparently there is a good butcher there, which we no longer have in New Orleans. Why can't New Orleans seem to get a good butcher shop or seafood market?)
5. 1/4 to 1/2 tomato paste
6. As much fresh basil as you can tolerate, chopped or whole
7. 2 cups of water

Meatballs (6 pounds worth)
1. 1 pound ground pork
2. 1 pound ground veal
3. 2 pounds 85/15 ground beef
4. 2 cups of freshly grated Parm cheese
5. Lots of freshly chopped parsley
6. 4 eggs
7. 15 oz can of Progresso Italian bread crumbs. She was very insistent that the breadcrumbs be Progresso. "No substitutes for Progresso!" she insisted emphatically.
8. As much minced garlic as you can stand. I usually do 10 big cloves.
9. Room temp water, 1-2 cups

Steps:
Let's make the sauce first and we can make the meatballs as the sauce simmers.



Open your canned tomatoes. I recently was put on the Bianco diNapoli tomatoes by a post. I bought 24 24 oz cans because if you're going to try it, you need to try lots of it.

I must say that eaten raw, these tomatoes are superior to Walmart Great Value brand. However, when all was said and done, I could not find a significant difference between the two in a cooked red gravy. Walmart cans are $0.82 each. Bianco diNapoli range from $4 - $7. I will not be purchasing diNapoli again. They aren't bad, but why spend extra on something that you cannot distinguish. And trust me, my palate is very observant.



In your big pot, put some olive oil in. Make sure your meat is dry. Brown each of the three meats, Italian sausage, veal, and pork bones, at medium separately, flipping as needed. When each is finished, put them on another plate and wait. This is a long process and usually takes 30-40 minutes total.

Mince your garlic and cook it until golden. If you have a lot of oil, remove the oil. I rarely have a lot of fat or oil at this point so I don't drain it.

Immediately put your tomato paste in the oil-garlic mixture. Cook for about one minute.

Then put your tomato cans in the pot. I tend to get my hands dirty at this point and manually squeeze them into chunks. Add your fresh basil.



Add the three meats back to the mix. Bring to quick boil, then reduce to low heat. Cover 50% of the pot. Stir every 15 or so minutes to prevent burning on the bottom of your pot.

Get to work making your meatballs.

Get the biggest bowl you have and add all three meats together. For best results, you need beef, veal, and sausage. True Italian meatballs of any quality are made this way. Yes, it costs more, but it's worth.



Now you mix the meat with the parsley, garlic, cheese, and eggs.



Once these are blended, then you begin a slow add of the Italian breadcrumbs. I will do about 1/10 of a package at a time and work it in. If it gets dry just add a little room temp water. Continue adding the breadcrumbs and water until the breadcrumbs are done. If it gets dry, add water. Just don't add too much so that they become soggy. When done, you'll have quite a pile of meat. I weighed mine and it was 6 lbs 8 oz, almost like a newborn. If you want to get creative, draw or make shapes.



Turn this mass of meats into meatballs whatever size you like best. Smaller is easier to deal with, but I like to make mine 4-5 inches in diameter.

Get your cast iron pan ready, hot and with olive oil nearing smoking, but not smoking. I always cook my meatballs in batches of seven because that is the Hebrew number of completion, rest and Sabbath. You don't have to do them in sevens, but I find they come out best this way.



When browned on both sides, remove from heat and put in your simmering red gravy. Let them cook in the gravy for approximately 30 minutes. Remove from heat and serve. I like to put some freshly shaved Parm and parsley on top for appearance only.



I wish I had someone with whom to share these meatballs. I made 35 of them and with the sauce, I can probably only eat three at a sitting. They are unquestionably the best meatballs you have had. I guarantee. No restaurant comes close. I always add salt and pepper at the very end, so as not to lose those flavors as the sauce cooks.

Now this wasn't a cheap meal for a solo diner. I ended up spending close to $70. But I have leftovers for 10 or so meals. So total cost ends up being about $6.50 per meal, which isn't terrible. And I did use the choicest of ingredients.

Here's what our dear lost friend Meridian Dog would call fork view:



I hope you have enjoyed.

Faith, Hope, and Love,
TulaneLSU