Old School Italian Meat Sauce with Meatballs

Old School Italian Meat Sauce

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds pork chops
salt and ground black pepper
1 pound Italian sausage

Sauce:
Fat (ghee or coconut oil or olive oil)
2 medium onions, diced (about 2 cups)
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
2/3 cup beef broth
2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, slivered

Meatballs:
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon water
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon Italian herb blend (or oregano)

Directions:
Brown the meats. Heat a fat in a large, deep sauce pot. Sprinkle the pork chops with salt and pepper and then brown the chops on both sides. Set aside and brown the sausage in the same pot. Set aside.

Make the sauce. You’re going to make the sauce in the same pot, so add a fat if there’s no fat left in the pan. Cook onions with the oregano until they’re very soft, about 7-10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir fry until brown, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the balsamic vinegar and stir, about 1 minute. Add the broth and crushed tomatoes; stir to combine. Now gently nestle the pork chops and sausage into the sauce. Bring to a robust bubble, then cover and simmer, 2 hours.

Prep the meatballs. In a small bowl, mix the baking soda, cream of tartar, and water with a fork until combined. Crumble the beef into a large bowl, then add the balsamic vinegar, garlic, parsley, salt, red pepper flakes, Italian herb blend, and water/baking soda. Mix well with your hands until combined.

Cook the meatballs. Preheat the oven to 400F and cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Measure 1 tablespoon of the meat and roll into a ball. Line up the meatballs on the baking sheet, then bake 20 minutes, until browned.

The final steps. When the sauce has reached its 2-hour simmer deadline, add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer an additional 15 minutes, uncovered. Remove the sauce from the heat and toss in the fresh basil, then taste and add salt and pepper, if necessary.

Notes:

I didnt have cream of tartar so went with a handful of breadcrumbs instead. Served it over spaghetti squash.