Spaghetti Sauce for Elk or Bison

oilpatchjo's Note:

I created this savoury Bison or Elk Spaghetti Sauce although I like it best made with Elk and of course fresh herbs. While I was making this sauce when visiting my sister Leah while she attended the San Francisco Culinary Academy, Leah made a few adjustments since then I have never made it any differently. Quality ingredients and a great red wine will always give you a superb sauce!

• Total Time: 25 hrs
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 24 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 24

Yield: 1.0 large pot

• 2 lbs ground bison meat (Bison or Elk)
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 lb hot Italian sausage (spicy)
• 1 lb ground sirloin (if you can combine Elk with Bison)
• 1 cup red wine
• 56 ounces plum tomatoes , crushed
• 56 ounces plum tomatoes , whole
• 5 ½ ounces tomato paste
• ½ cup sun-dried tomato
• 12 garlic cloves
• 1 large walla walla onion
• 1 lb mushroom
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon herbes de provence
• ½ cup demerara sugar
• ¼ cup fresh parsley
• ¼ cup fresh oregano
• ¼ cup fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• ¼ teaspoon chili pepper
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions:

1. Sauté the Walla Walla Onions lightly with the crushed garlic in the olive oil. Add the Italian Sausage to be lightly browned with onions and garlic; when the Italian sausage is pierced with a fork the fat will run out then add the ground Bison and ground pork until well browned in a large pot.
2. Add 1 cup of red wine and the crushed tomatoes, whole tomatoes, tomato paste and sun dried tomatoes to pot,.
3. Add Cinnamon sticks, Cinnamon, Cumin, Demerara Sugar, Parsley, Oregano, Basil, Thyme, Rosemary, Herbs DE Provence, Chili Peppers, Sea Salt and Pepper. Stirring constantly,bring to a brisk simmer add ½ of the 2 tablespoons of butter.
4. Simmer all day adding about a cup of water or wine your choice. When the sauce goes down about an inch; be careful as the sugar and the wine will tend to caramelize and burn on the bottom of your pan if not carefully watched and stirred throughout the day. After about 6 hours there should be a very nice glossy sheen to the sauce.
5. After taking off stove, cool before refrigerating overnight can be left out on your stove or counter to cool.In the morning skim off the fat that has risen and solidified on the top of the sauce and discard.
6. Put back on the stove a low simmer for 4 hours or until there is a thickening of the sauce with a glossy sheen; the tomato sauce will look paler and have a light sweet hot taste.
7. Sauté the mushrooms lightly and add to sauce or add to each individual plate when serving spaghetti to taste.
8. Adding the wine is always at the chef's discretion!