Mark’s Spaghetti Meat Sauce with Pepperoni and Beer

Just “Eat”

Mark’s Spaghetti Meat Sauce with Pepperoni and Beer

Main

This spaghetti sauce recipe is from a former co-worker who wrote it down for me on a yellow legal pad with barely any guidance as to the amount of ingredients or really any particular cooking instructions, but it is our favorite spaghetti sauce.

The sauce is a delicious blend of fresh tomatoes, ground beef and Italian sausage as well as beer and the secret ingredient of pepperoni slices, which puts it over the top in my book. Use the pepperoni slices you would use for a pizza. I tried it with uncured pepperoni but it just didn’t have that bold, rich, spicy, porky flavor. I like Hormel Original Pepperoni slices which are most likely full of things you don’t want to know, but, what the heck, it’s not like we eat it every day.

Mark’s recipe calls for either beer or wine. As his recipe is from the late-1980s, that would have been Corona beer or Sutter Home White Zinfandel. These days I make it with an Italian beer (Peroni) and save the wine (but not a white zinfandel!) for dinner.

For the most flavorful sauce, use the best ingredients you can as your tomato sauce will only be as good as your tomatoes! Be sure the Roma tomatoes are ripe and if you can find it, try to use a paste and sauce made with San Marzano tomatoes. If you don’t have a can of tomato sauce on hand, crushed tomatoes or fire-roasted diced tomatoes will work too.

The red pepper flakes and mushrooms are optional. I use a lot of red pepper flakes as we like it spicier, but I usually skip the mushrooms as Tom is not a big mushroom fan. But, if I was making it just for me, I would include the mushrooms adding them in just before simmering.

I have cleaned up Mark’s ingredient list and instructions over the years. The original recipe instructed, “Add whatever seasonings you have (except vanilla, cloves, cinnamon or pie spices).” I have interpreted that to be Italian Herb seasonings, crushed red pepper flakes, Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and bay leaves.

If you like a meaty sauce then you are going to love this sauce. To quote Mark, just “Eat.”

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pound ground beef (80/20 blend)
½ pound (2 or 3 links) sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 large brown or yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 (6 oz.) package pepperoni slices, chopped if too large
1 1/2 tablespoons Italian Herb seasonings
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

4 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 (14 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 bottle beer
2 whole bay leaves
2 teaspoons Kosher salt plus more to taste
Fresh ground black pepper
6 oz. Cremini or brown mushrooms, sliced (optional)

1 pound package spaghetti or bucatini
6 to 8 leaves fresh basil, chiffonaded for garnish
Freshly grated Pecorino or parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a large sauté pan or Dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and Italian sausage, and sauté until just browned and no longer pink, breaking up the chunks as it cooks (10 to 12 minutes). Drain if necessary. Add the onions and garlic and continue to sauté until just softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the Italian seasonings, brown sugar, red pepper flakes (if using), 2 teaspoons salt, pepperoni slices, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste and one cup beer.

Season to taste with additional Italian seasonings, salt and fresh ground black pepper. Add more beer if the sauce is too thick. If you are using the mushrooms, add them now. Stir in the bay leaves. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.

Prepare the spaghetti according to package directions and drain. Remove the bay leaves and ladle sauce over the cooked pasta and finish each serving with basil and freshly grated Pecorino or parmesan cheese.

6-8 servings

(Thanks Mark!)