Hearty Meat Sauce

This simple and tasty meat sauce with Italian flavors is worth getting excited about. It beats anything from a jar. And, it uses ingredients you likely already have in your pantry!

Ingredients

• (2 Tbsp) 1 quart - Pork Lard
• (1/2 tsp) Ground black pepper
• (1 medium onion, chopped) 1lb - Yellow Onions
• (1 carrot, finely chopped) 1lb - Carrots
• (3 cloves, minced) Garlic
• (6oz) Tomato Paste
• (28oz) Crushed Tomatoes
• (15oz) Tomato Sauce
• (to taste) Salt
• (1lb) Ground Beef
• (1 tsp) Dried Basil
• (1 tsp) Dried Oregano
• (1 tsp) Dried Parsley
• (1) Bay Leaf
• (1/2 cup, freshly grated (can also use Parmesan or Romano cheese)) 8oz Raw Luscious Sheep Rind-Ripened Cheese
• (1lb) Hot cooked paste (for serving)

Directions

1 - Heat lard in a Dutch oven or large pot on the stove on medium heat.

2 - Add the ground beef and cook for 5-10 minutes until almost cooked.

2 - Add the onions and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 10-15 minutes until softened.

3 - Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.

4 - Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute.

5 - Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, herbs, and spices.

6 - Bring to a simmer. Then, turn the heat to low and partially cover the pot. Continue to cook for at 1-2 hours. The longer it cooks, the more flavors are infused throughout the sauce.

7 - Season with salt and pepper to taste.

8 - Just before serving, add the grated cheese to the sauce.

This sauce is traditionally served over pasta with an extra helping of grated cheese on top.

But, there are many other uses, too. Serve over rice, use in a minestrone soup, cook eggs in it, or use it on pizza.