American Meat Sauce

Ingredients

• 56 ounce tomatoes whole crushed canned
• 2 large celery stalks diced
• 1  bay leaf dried
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 large bell pepper diced green stemmed seeded
• 1.5 pounds ground beef chuck 
• 10 servings kosher salt and pepper black freshly ground
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 large onion diced
• 0.5 teaspoon oregano dried
• 1 tablespoon sugar 
• 6 ounce tomato paste canned
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce 

Equipment

• pot
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent but does not get any color, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the bell pepper, celery, garlic, a generous pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the beef, a generous pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper to the pot and cook, stirring to break the meat into small bits, until browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and oregano and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
4. Add the Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes with their juices, sugar and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 45 minutes.