SLOW COOKER MEATBALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE
Ahhhh … Autumn. Football, falling leaves, sweaters, and tailgates. Oh wait, this is Florida, skip the leaves and sweaters.
This tasty recipe is perfect for those tailgate parties. It can be served as an appetizer, as a hoagie, or with some pasta and garlic bread.
INGREDIENTS
For the sauce
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
3/4 medium onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the meatballs
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup milk
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 medium onion, finely diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1¾ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1¾ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1 pound 90/10 ground beef
1 pound ground Italian turkey sausage
DIRECTIONS
1. To make the sauce, set your slow cooker to low, then add all of the crushed tomatoes, onion, bay leaf, sugar, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Give it a quick stir to combine everything.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, soak the breadcrumbs in the milk. In the same bowl with the breadcrumbs, add the garlic, onion, parsley, pepper, salt, oregano, cheese, and egg. Mix it all together with a fork. Add the beef and turkey. Use your hands to mix everything together just enough to combine.
3. Shape the meatballs. They can be quite sticky. If you keep your hands wet with water, it is much easier to roll the meat into balls a little smaller than the size of a golf ball. Place them directly into the sauce. Repeat until all the meatballs are made. Some of the meatballs will not be submerged in the sauce. That’s okay. They will fall into the sauce as they cook.
4. Cover and cook for five hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.
Buon Appetito! (And Go Bills!!!)
