Grandma's Sauce

"I can’t remember a weekend that the family didn’t spend over at my grandmother’s. Most of my childhood memories are based around those Sunday nights when Grandma would stand alone in the kitchen stirring something in a giant pot on the stove. It wasn’t until she was nearly months out from passing away that I finally asked her what the “sauce” was made of. This recipe was passed down from my great grandmother Mary who more than likely received it from her family and so on. It’s an incredibly light, savory sauce-- made in the Poor Man’s Ragu tradition. Just fresh herbs and cheap meat. The trick to making this sauce perfect is fresh ingredients-- I can’t stress that enough. I spent some time over the years making adjustments to my family’s sauce-- the flavor is the same with the added bonus of healthier ingredients. When using a cheaper can of tomatoes (not San Marzano) sugar is typically added to bite down the acidity and reintroduce the natural sweetness of tomatoes. There’s enough sugar in my other recipes… I also absolutely love the aromas that come from bunching up the definitive Italian herbs and letting them rain across a giant pot of rich tomatoes and pork. Dried spices have their place in recipes but they should be used sparingly and, c’mon… Always pick fresh over dried. You'll never disappoint your guests. ***Rigatoni is your best option for mopping up this epic sauce.***"