Crock Pot Italian Tomato Sauce Food

SLOW COOKER TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Place tomatoes, onion, garlic, and olive oil in a slow cooker. Season with oregano, basil, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, and cinnamon.
• Cover, and cook 10 to 15 hours on Low. The longer you simmer it the more flavorful it becomes. At 10 hours it's really good, but at 15 its even better.

MY CROCK POT SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Steps:

• Brown meats and onion in a skillet and drain well.
• Transfer to your crock pot.
• Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
• Serve over hot spaghetti noodles.

REAL AUTHENTIC ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE (NO CAN'S HERE)

Steps:

• Wash, and core tomatoes. I also like to cut the little "nub" off of the bottom of the tomato. Just the nub, and this will make it easier to remove the skins from the tomatoes.
• Place whole tomatoes in a large pot and drizzle 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over tomatoes. Place lid on pot and heat over medium.
• After about 15 minutes give the tomatoes a stir (I use a fork to do this), ensuring not to break them up. This moves the ones on top to the bottom to help the skins to become loose and to prevent burning any skins. Cover and allow to cook for 15 more minutes.
• After 15 minutes, take a fork and fish out a tomato from the bottom. Keeping the tomato in the pot, use two forks, or a fork and wood spoon to start removing the skins. If you like, you can take the tomato out and place on a plate or in a bowl to do this, just make sure you keep the juices. If the tomatoes are not fully ready to be skinned, put the lid back on and check every 5 minutes. (This is the most time consuming part, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes really simple.).
• After all or most of the skins have been discarded, lower the temperature to medium low and allow to simmer uncovered. This is simply stewed tomatoes at this point.
• Once an hour, check the sauce and stir thoroughly. Using a wooden spoon, start to break up the tomatoes over the period of checking them. (Note: Don't break them all the way up on the first, second of even third time of checking them. Break them down over time).
• After about 5 hours, smash all tomatoes with whatever instrument you can find that will work. Add garlic cloves whole, use more than 5 if you like, I DO! (Do not mince/chop garlic) Allow to simmer for another hour. (Note: If you feel the sauce has reached your desired consistency or is nearing, you can add the garlic earlier).
• After 1 more hour, the garlic should be soft enough to smash easily on the side of the pot and the garlic will literally disintegrate into the sauce. If sauce is at your desired consistency, you can remove from the hot eye at this point and go to the next step, if you like your sauce a little less runny, or thicker, leave on and continue to monitor to your liking.
• Once the sauce is to your desired consistency, remove from heat and add 1 cup of fresh basil leaves, stir. Fresh is important to making really good sauce. Salt to taste. If you like a little spice, add some crushed red pepper.

FRESH CROCK POT TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Peel and coarsely chop tomatoes. Do this by hand and not food processor. Transfer tomatoes to a slow cooker.
• Melt butter over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the onion and garlic, and saute until softened but not browned. Scrape into slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours.
• At the end of the cooking time, stir in herbs. Cover and cook an additional 10 minutes. Taste for salt and add the sugar, if desired. Serve on top of your favorite pasta, you will have enough sauce for 1 lb of pasta.
• I also add olives to the sauce, during the last phase of cooking. Whatever is left over, I freeze.
• Another great tip -- when peeling the tomatoes use a vegetable peeler (one suited for softer skin) and it will make life so much easier!

CROCK POT ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• (Gallon cans of Tomatoes are available at small restaurant supplys that are "wholesale, open to the public" They will cost a lot less than retail.) Place Tomatoes in pot set on high.
• Heat a large pan over med-high heat, add Oil.
• Saute (stir fry) Onions for 5 min.
• Add Garlic, Celery, Carrots, and Bay leaves saute for another 5-10 min. 'til tender. Add to pot.
• Salt and Pepper 'til it's almost "right", stir well, cover.
• Reduce heat to low and cook for 5-6 hours.
• Remove Bay leaves and adjust seasoning.
• If it is too acidic add Butter, 1 TBS at a time, stir well and retaste.
• Continue to add, stir, and taste'til it's to your liking. This is much better than adding sugar!
• Ladle a blender 3/4 full, Process 'til smooth.
• Pour into a large bowl and continue with remaining sauce.
• This sauce will be about the consistency of store bought.
• If you wish it thicker, return to pot and cook on low, uncovered, stirring frequintly to keep the surface from turning dark.
• When satisfied allow to cool completely, ladle 2 cup servings into plastic freezer bags.
• Frozen it will keep up to 6 months. (I don't know if this is true, I've never kept any that long.).

CROCKPOT SPAGHETTI SAUCE WITH FRESH TOMATOES

Steps:

• Saute the onion, garlic, green pepper, and oil. Cook until onion is transparent.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, oregano, basil, parsley, sugar, salt, and ground pepper.
• Cook on low heat for 2 to 3 hours. Stir frequently.
• Let sauce cool. Pour into quart size freezer containers. Store in freezer.
• When ready to use, stir in can of tomato paste.