This amazing meat sauce recipe hails from my father-in-law’s kitchen and is the best; it’s everyone’s favorite. The beef, veal, and pork, along with traditional seasonings that you can change as desired, give it a great flavor. It’s thick and hearty. Get a pot simmering on the stove this Sunday!.
My grandmother always made some kind of pasta for Sunday dinner. It could be lasagna, stuffed shells, rigatoni with sausage and peppers, or just spaghetti noodles with sauce.
To please people who didn’t like chunks in their sauce, she usually made a simple marinara sauce with spare ribs simmering in it for extra flavor. I loved her sauce, but I’ve always loved a meat sauce with a lot of chunks.
There was a time when I was dating my husband that I got to try his dad’s meat sauce after it had been cooking on the stove all Sunday afternoon. I fell madly in love with that sauce.
I’ve loved it for years, both when he makes it and when I make it! The second time I made it, my husband came into the kitchen just as I was starting to simmer it and said it smelled like his parents’ house on a Sunday.
The Great Debate: Veal vs. Lean Beef for Pasta Sauce
As a passionate home cook and pasta lover, I’m always trying to take my sauce game to the next level. I want rich, complex flavor and tender, meaty texture without going overboard on fat and calories. So when it comes to choosing meat for pasta sauce, I often debate between two options – veal or lean beef. Which makes the better pasta sauce?
Both meats have their advantages and disadvantages when used in pasta sauce By looking at cost, flavor, texture, and health factors of veal and lean beef, we can determine which comes out on top
Introducing Veal – The Tender Young Meat
Veal comes from young calves that are generally under 20 weeks old. At this early age the meat is very pale pink and has a smooth, fine grain with little marbling. Compared to beef from older cattle, veal is much more tender due to less developed muscle tissue.
Since veal is young and mild, it has a relatively delicate flavor. When cooked, it has a soft, buttery texture that melts in your mouth. This makes it ideal for dishes where you want very tender, non-fibrous meat.
For pasta sauce, veal’s smoothness gives a rich mouthfeel and luxurious quality. Its softness blends into the sauce rather than chunky meat bits. Veal also has high moisture content keeping your sauce succulent.
However, veal is one of the pricier meats, sometimes costing twice as much per pound as beef. Ethical concerns around veal farming may also turn some people away. But if your priority is ultimate tenderness and silkiness, veal shines.
Introducing Lean Beef – Flavorful and Economical
When I say lean beef for pasta sauce, I mean cuts like sirloin, round, and chuck shoulder. Coming from mature cattle, these cuts offer much more robust beefy flavor than veal. Lean beef also costs significantly less than veal, making it budget-friendly.
Compared to fattier cuts like short ribs, lean beef provides flavor and protein without as much saturated fat and cholesterol. It has a better protein-to-fat ratio, making it a healthier choice.
Still, lean beef must be cooked carefully when making pasta sauce to prevent it becoming tough. Browning first, then gently simmering in the sauce breaks down connective tissue.
While lean beef can’t match the melt-in-your-mouth tenderness of veal, it adds more pronounced meaty flavor to the sauce. If you want hearty beefiness over silkiness, lean beef wins.
Comparing the Costs of Veal vs. Lean Beef
There’s a pretty noticeable price difference between veal and lean beef, with veal costing far more. Based on average U.S. retail costs:
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Ground veal ranges from $6-12 per pound.
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Veal shoulder or stew meat runs $8-14 per pound.
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Specialty veal like loin chops can exceed $20 per pound.
Meanwhile, the lean beef cuts best for pasta sauce are much more reasonable:
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Lean ground beef averages around $3-6 per pound.
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Chuck shoulder or round stew meat costs $5-8 per pound.
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Sirloin steak can be found for as low as $7-9 per pound.
You’ll pay roughly twice as much for veal versus the same lean beef cuts. That adds up quickly when cooking pasta sauce in bulk. If you want to make veal Bolognese, be prepared to splurge more than basic beef sauce.
How Do Their Flavors Compare?
Veal and beef offer vastly different tasting experiences:
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Veal has a very mild, subtle, almost sweet flavor. Some describe it as fruity.
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Beef has a stronger, more iron-like bloody taste. The flavor is robust and meaty.
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Veal tastes mildly of calf’s milk, while beef tastes of older cattle’s grass or grain diet.
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Cooked veal develops a delicate, nutty sweetness. Beef becomes more umami and savory.
Overall, veal is cleaner and subtler tasting, while beef makes a bold flavor statement. Neither is better or worse, just different. Veal suits those who find plain beef too strong. But beef lovers may feel veal is too bland for their taste.
Contrasting Veal and Beef Textures
When cooked, the different textures of veal and beef are very noticeable:
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Veal is extremely tender with a soft, almost jelly-like texture and no chewy bits.
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Beef can turn tough and fibrous if overcooked, so gentle moist cooking is key.
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Veal has a smooth, creamy mouthfeel and purees into the sauce easily.
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Beef develops a firmer bite with obvious meaty, chewy chunks in the sauce.
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Older beef needs more connective tissue broken down through slow, moist cooking.
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Veal turns tender very fast with gentle cooking, while beef needs more time.
Again, one texture isn’t better. Silky veal offers a delicate experience, while beef provides fulfilling meatiness when properly cooked.
Health and Dietary Considerations
For those watching saturated fat and cholesterol, lean beef has some advantages over higher fat veal:
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Lean beef is lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than veal.
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Veal contains more calories per serving than lean beef.
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Lean beef provides more iron and B vitamins than veal.
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Beef has slightly more protein than veal per ounce.
So if heart health is a priority, lean beef seems the healthier pasta sauce choice. But for low-carb or keto diets, fattier veal may be preferable. Those with gout or kidney issues should avoid very high purine veal.
The Final Verdict for Amazing Pasta Sauce
After comparing all factors, here are my final tips on using veal or lean beef for pasta sauce:
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For luxury and silkiness, use veal if budget allows. It makes a smooth sauce.
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For big beef flavor on a budget, choose economical lean beef.
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Gently braise or simmer either meat choice to maximize moisture and tenderness.
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With veal, don’t overwhelm its delicate flavor with bold seasonings.
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Cook lean beef at lower heat to prevent toughness.
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Mixing some veal and lean beef provides both texture and flavor.
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Adding vegetables boosts nutrition and complexity.
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Layer in fresh herbs, spices, or wine to build rich flavor.
With the right techniques, both veal and lean beef can create amazing pasta sauce. Taste test batches to decide which best suits your preferences. The joy of homemade sauce is customizing it to your passion and lifestyle. Mangia!
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Meat Sauce vs Bolognese Sauce
It’s easy to mix up meat sauce and bolognese sauce because they are both chunky, meaty sauces, but there are some big differences between the two.
The meats are the same, but the aromatics are different. Carrots, celery, and onions make up the base of bolognese. In a traditional bolognese, there isn’t much tomato product used either. It’s meaty and thick, and it usually has beef broth and some kind of dairy, like milk or cream.
Here are a few extra tips on making this amazingly meaty homemade spaghetti sauce recipe:
- The Tomatoes: My husband’s dad swears by Tuttorosso tomato puree and crushed tomatoes. He said he likes it better because both of them are thick, which makes the sauce heartier. This brand is mostly sold in the eastern United States. S. , but sometimes you can find it on Amazon, Target, or Walmart. If you can’t find it, use your favorite or anything else that’s available. He did say that some brands of crushed tomatoes aren’t as thick as the Tuttorosso brand. If this is the case, you might want to add a small can of tomato paste to the sauce to make it thicker.
- Meatless: If you’d rather have a sauce without meat, just leave out the meat and follow the steps below. I’ve done that more than once when I’ve baked ziti, and it still tastes great.
- Extra Taste—As I already said, you can add more herbs or even a pinch or two of red pepper flakes to make it taste even better!
- Long and Low Simmer—Let the sauce simmer on the stove for at least two or three hours so that all the flavors blend and get stronger. This will make the sauce taste its best.
- How to Store It: Let the sauce cool to room temperature, then put it in a container that won’t let air in and put it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Instructions for Freezing: This sauce freezes very well. Put it in a container that won’t let air in and freeze for up to three months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge, and then heat it up in a saucepan over low heat.
I urge you to run, not walk, into the kitchen and get a pot of this started.
How to cook ground beef for maximum flavor | I bet you didn’t know this!
FAQ
What is the best cut of beef for pasta?
What is the best fat beef for Bolognese sauce?
Can I use lean ground beef for spaghetti?
What meat can you add to spaghetti sauce?
In the United States, ground beef or meatballs are the standard meat added to spaghetti sauce. But, in Italy, there are practically no limits! Add braised beef, chicken, fish, pork, lamb, ground Italian sausage, or veal to the delicious tomato sauce. This meal is filling and complete on its own.
What are healthier alternatives for pasta?
Regular pasta is made with refined wheat flour, leaving these noodles with scant levels of fiber, vitamins and minerals. Here are six pasta alternatives to traditional pasta which can be enjoyed with out sacrificing vitamins, minerals, proteins and carbs. They are, Zucchini noodles, Squash noodles, Quinoa pasta, Rice pasta, Black bean pasta, Shirataki noodles. Spaghetti squash is an excellent pasta substitute. Spiralized vegetables is an healthier substitute to pasta.
How do you thicken veal sauce?
Add the veal/beef consommé or broth and the white and red wine. Add the tomato puree or crushed tomatoes. Add the ground porcini, salt, pepper, nutmeg, sage, rosemary and bay leaf. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours. The sauce will thicken further than the picture below over the course of the two hours.
How do you make a homemade Italian meat sauce?
To make a homemade Italian meat sauce, first open the cans of tomatoes and add the sauce to the pot. Stir with a wooden spoon to mix. Next, stir in the dried herbs and mix well. Allow the sauce to heat almost to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer. Finally, add Parmesan cheese to the sauce and stir for five minutes before serving over boxed or fresh pasta.