Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce Food

NANA'S SLOW COOKED MEATY TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in Italian sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic. Cook and stir until the meat is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink, about 15 minutes. Use a potato masher to mash and blend the meat mixture every few minutes. Drain and discard any excess grease.
• Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, chicken broth, red wine, Italian seasoning, basil, salt, and black pepper.
• Transfer the sauce to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

SLOW COOKER MEATBALLS AND TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the meatball ingredients. Shape into twelve 2-inch meatballs. Set aside.
• In the slow cooker, mix the tomato sauce ingredients. Place the meatballs into the sauce mixture. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

SLOW COOKER BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, carrots, celery and onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste, thyme and nutmeg, and continue cooking until the vegetables have softened and started to brown, about 2 minutes. Deglaze with the wine, pulling up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
• Carefully transfer to the slow cooker. Stir in the cream and tomatoes. Mix the pork and sirloin together in a separate bowl, using your hands, until combined. Stir the meat into the slow cooker, spreading out evenly and avoiding any large clumps. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low 8 to 10 hours. Skim the accumulated grease from the surface before serving. Serve over pasta with crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.

SLOW-COOKER MEATY TOMATO SAUCE WITH PORK

Steps:

• Dry the pork with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper.
• Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over med-high heat until just smoking.
• Brown half of the pork, about 10 minutes, then add to the slow cooker.
• Return the skillet to med-high heat and repeat with 2 more teaspoons oil and the remaining pork.
• Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the empty skillet and heat over medium heat until shimmering.
• Add the onions and 1/4 tsp salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic and cook for 15 seconds.
• Stir in the wine and tomato paste, scraping up any browned bits.
• Simmer until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes, then pour into the slow cooker.
• Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with their juice, the oregano, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves to the slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the meat is tender.
• Let the sauce settle for 5 minutes, then use a wide spoon to skim the fat off the surface.
• Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break up the pieces of meat.
• Before tossing the sauce with cooked pasta, discard the bay leaves, stir in the parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

SLOW COOKER TOMATO SAUCE WITH FRESH TOMATOES

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.

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.

SLOW-COOKER SUNDAY SAUCE

Steps:

• In a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, add the crushed tomatoes and basil sprigs. Season the pork shoulder all over with salt and pepper.
• In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Working in batches if necessary, cook the pork until browned on two sides, 8 to 10 minutes total, adding more oil if the pan looks dry. Transfer pieces to the slow cooker as they finish. Add the sausages to the pot and cook until browned, 4 to 6 minutes total. Transfer to the slow cooker.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, if needed, and the onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the red wine, stirring to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot, and cook until the wine is nearly evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes. Scrape the onion-wine mixture into the slow cooker, and stir to combine. Add the meatballs on top. (It's OK if they're sticking out of the sauce.) Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, until the pork shoulder falls apart when shredded with a fork.
• When you're ready to eat, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until al dente. While the pasta boils, slice the sausage and shred the pork shoulder on a cutting board, and leave it there. When the pasta is al dente, reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and return the pasta to the pot. Over medium heat, toss the pasta with enough sauce to coat (about 4 cups), adding pasta water as needed until the sauce clings to the pasta. (Some meatballs might end up in the pasta pot; that's OK.) Return the sausage and pork shoulder to the remaining sauce in the slow cooker.
• Divide pasta between bowls, then top with a bit of each meat. Pass the Parmesan and extra meat and sauce at the table.

SLOW-COOKER TOMATO COMPOTE

Steps:

• In a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, add the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, honey, vinegar, herbs and red-pepper flakes (if using), and stir to combine. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and a few generous grinds of pepper. Cook on low for 6 hours, until the tomatoes are wrinkled, sweet and very soft, and some have burst. Remove the herb sprigs and squeeze in the lemon juice. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

SUNDAY SAUCE

Steps:

• Season the pork shoulder all over with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium high. Working in batches if necessary, cook the pork until browned on two sides, 8 to 10 minutes total, adding more oil if the pan looks dry. Transfer pieces to a bowl as they finish. Add the sausages to the pot and cook until browned, 4 to 6 minutes total. Transfer to the bowl.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, if needed, and the onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the red wine, stir, scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan and cook until the wine is nearly evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and basil, then fill one of the 28-ounce cans with water. (You'll use it in a second.) Return the pork shoulder and sausages to the pot, along with any accumulated juices in the bowl. Nudge them around so they are submerged. Add the meatballs on top, then add enough water from the can to cover the meat. (There's no need to stir.) Partly cover the pot, bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork shoulder falls apart when shredded with a fork, 2 to 2½ hours.
• When you're ready to eat, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until al dente. While the pasta cooks, slice the sausage and shred the pork shoulder. Transfer to a platter along with the meatballs and a few spoonfuls of sauce. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and add the pasta to the pot of sauce. Over medium heat, toss the pasta with the sauce, adding pasta water as needed until the sauce clings to the pasta.
• Divide pasta between bowls, then top with a bit of each meat. Pass the Parmesan and platter of meat at the table.