Do you put ground meat in your spaghetti sauce? (vegetables, recipe, carrots)

[TabulaRasa]

Really, I've always found the introduction if ground beef to just bland it up.

[CarolinaWoman]

Originally Posted by Jrsygrl51

Sometimes, if the kids and I want some comfort food, I make my gravy with a meat mix (beef, veal and pork) and some italian sausage. I put it in the crock pot and cook it for hours. But, if we just want something without all that work, I use ground turkey and add to the gravy.

We learned long ago what gravy was to an Italian. LOL

When my husband was in the military and we couldn't make it home for Thanksgiving. We were invited to Thanksgiving dinner by another military family from the Bronx and pure Italian. Several couples had been invited. Be there at 9:00 AM.

The meal started out with gravy boats on each end of the table. In the gravy boats was their gravy (sauce.) The woman's grandmother had traveled from NY and made all the pasta ... she didn't speak English but oh goodness could she cook. First time I ever had anything other than Mueller's out of a box. I learned that day what gravy was to an Italian and also how awesome it was to indulge in real Italian cooking.

The only thing that blew me away ... stuffed to the gills our host and hostess then bring out a typical Thanksgiving meal ... turkey with stuffing, green beans and the works.

I use jar sauce and add my onions, pepper and ground beef.

[Jrsygrl51]

I know, right? You will never go hungry when invited to an Italian house!

[AnonChick]

My marinara is always either vegetarian, or I add almost-crisp bacon while it's simmering. Usually it's vegetarian though. Not vegan - I do put cheese in it.

[Momotaro]

I try all sorts of meat in my spaghetti. Spaghetti with a heavy amount of garlic even makes ground kangaroo edible.

[patrinka]

I usually add browned ground beef, onion and chunky mushrooms to canned sauces. I also like chili over spaghetti with onion and shredded cheese.

[bg7]

If its got ground meat in its really more of a bolognese sauce.
I don't know what "spaghetti" sauce is. There are 100's of sauces for spaghetti - try puttanesca, marinara, bolognese, arrabiata .. etc etc.

[Debsi]

Originally Posted by bg7

If its got ground meat in its really more of a bolognese sauce.
I don't know what "spaghetti" sauce is. There are 100's of sauces for spaghetti - try puttanesca, marinara, bolognese, arrabiata .. etc etc.

It's a holdover from the days when there were two kinds of pasta - which were never called pasta in this country at that time. I believe Judith Jones (food writer/editor) said that there was only spaghetti and macaroni.

[bg7]

Ah, I see.

[debzkidz]

Originally Posted by leftmyheartintennessee

Must be the Jersey Italians that call it gravy...this upstate new york italian has always known it
and called it sauce...and all my NYC relatives called it sauce as well...
Anyway, used to make my sauce from scratch and let it cook/simmer overnight...not so much anymore...only at christmas when I make lasagna from scratch...
now when I make sauce I saute onion,garlic in olive oil then add a jar of sauce, can of diced
or crushed tomatoes and the herbs/seasonings and let it simmer an hour or so to marry the flavors.
sometimes I add ground beef and brown that, other times it's bulk ground pork or cut up
italian sausage pieces, even fresh pigs feet,sometimes a combination of meats.
I also add diced peppers and fresh or canned mushrooms,and diced eggplant that is roasted beforehand.

As you can see, my sauce is never exactly the same other than the herbs/spices.
all depends on what I have on hand...
don't make sauce as much as I'm the only one in this house that likes spaghetti or pasta on a
regular basis ( like 2-3 times a week).
If I was by myself, I'd probab ly eat pasta and a salad every day either for lunch or dinner...

I got to thinking about this thread today, and about 2 Italian friends I have, both from NYC. They both call it sauce too. I've never heard them say gravy. Interesting.