Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce with Garlic Bread
Try this Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce with Garlic Bread recipe.
Try this Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce with Garlic Bread recipe.
- melted butter
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- salt & pepper
- 8 oz can tomato sauce
- garlic salt
- italian seasoning
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 lb ground beef (i used 90/10 ground sirloin)
- 1 medium onion minced (or cut in half)
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf (or 2 small)
- 3/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes (optional)
- french or italian loaf of bread
- Carbohydrate 12.7441032919589 g
- Cholesterol 172.99437500436 mg
- Fat 65.515545523697 g
- Fiber 1.99357376442854 g
- Protein 2.56638993985426 g
- Saturated Fat 41.3808389253943 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (229g)
- Sodium 835.997959737485 mg
- Sugar 10.7505295275304 g
- Trans Fat 4.6406447337128 g
- Calories 630 calories
Step-by-step
- Season ground beef with salt & pepper then brown with minced onion* in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Drain then add to a large crock pot.
- Add all the ingredients except for the butter, stir to combine, then cook on low for 5-6 hours.
- Remove bay leaves, stir in butter, then serve over cooked pasta.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Slice the loaf of bread into 1/2" slices, being careful not to cut all the way through the bottom crust.
- Melt butter in a small bowl then season with garlic salt and Italian seasoning.
- Brush seasoned butter between slices, then wrap the entire loaf in foil and bake for 15 minutes to warm through.
Crushed tomatoes dictate the structural foundation of this sauce, supplying the pectin and water content necessary for a slow-cooked reduction. Tomatoes canned at peak ripeness offer consistent acidity and sugar levels that fresh produce struggles to match outside of the summer months. Dried herbs like basil, oregano, and thyme contain fat-soluble volatile compounds that require hours of gentle heat to fully disperse into the meat and tomato matrix. Brown sugar acts as a targeted counter-balancer, mitigating the sharp malic and citric acids inherent in canned tomato products without introducing overt sweetness. Browning the beef over medium-high heat first triggers the Maillard reaction, developing savory depth through amino-acid and reducing-sugar interactions before the meat enters the slow cooker. Draining excess rendered fat prevents an oily slick from separating on the surface during the five to six hours of low-temperature cooking. Slow simmering breaks down connective tissue and melds the aromatics, but the chemistry continues to evolve after the heat is turned off. Refrigerating the sauce for twenty-four hours allows starches and proteins to further bind, resulting in a cohesive texture and rounded flavor profile upon reheating. For the accompanying loaf, slicing half-inch intervals without severing the bottom crust preserves structural integrity for even butter distribution. Baking the wrapped bread at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for fifteen minutes steams the interior crumb while crisping the exterior crust. Brushing melted butter seasoned with garlic salt and Italian seasoning directly into the crevices ensures every bite receives adequate fat transfer. Discarding the bay leaves prior to serving is essential, as their rigid structural fibers remain unpalatable even after extended heat exposure.
