Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce
I am always on the lookout for recipes I can make in my crock pot. I recently came across this recipe for Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce and adapted it slightly. Bolognese sauce is a meat-based sauce for pasta. It’s meatier than your regular spaghetti sauce. This recipe also makes a ton; I was able to save half of it for another meal. It would work great to freeze also. If you wanted your sauce to have some more zip to it, you could also substitute some of the ground beef with Italian sausage. My family loved it just as is.
I am always on the lookout for recipes I can make in my crock pot. I recently came across this recipe for Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce and adapted it slightly. Bolognese sauce is a meat-based sauce for pasta. It’s meatier than your regular spaghetti sauce. This recipe also makes a ton; I was able to save half of it for another meal. It would work great to freeze also. If you wanted your sauce to have some more zip to it, you could also substitute some of the ground beef with Italian sausage. My family loved it just as is.
- Carbohydrate 292.55378131405 g
- Cholesterol 1296.3525 mg
- Fat 436.044603 g
- Fiber 40.8835503848314 g
- Protein 310.365626578512 g
- Saturated Fat 164.6504985 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (4208g)
- Sodium 9223.64206666667 mg
- Sugar 251.670230929218 g
- Trans Fat 111.1805173 g
- Calories 6360 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook beef in large skillet until browned.
- Transfer to 5 quart slow cooker. Stir in all remaining ingredients, mix well.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
- Serve over your favorite pasta.
Brown the ground beef thoroughly in a wide skillet over medium-high heat until deep mahogany crusts form on the bottom of the pan, because this Maillard reaction builds the savory depth that distinguishes traditional meat sauces from basic tomato purees. Breaking the meat down into very fine granules before transferring it to the five-quart slow cooker prevents dense clumps from forming during the eight-hour cooking window. Excess rendered fat should be drained from the skillet prior to combining the ingredients to keep the sauce from separating into an oily layer as the tomatoes break down. Dried herbs like oregano, basil, and marjoram bloom fully over prolonged low heat, releasing fat-soluble aromatic compounds that raw additions cannot match. Yielding a massive volume, this preparation divides easily into portions for rapid chilling in an ice bath before transferring to airtight containers. Stored in the refrigerator, the sauce maintains peak quality for up to four days, while freezer storage extends its usability for three months without noticeable degradation in texture. Reheating frozen portions requires gentle thawing in the refrigerator overnight followed by simmering on the stovetop over medium-low heat until the center reaches one hundred sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit.
