Slow Cooker Pork and Sausage Meatballs

By mirelsonp

Recipe source Fine Cooking | Feb/Mar 2015

Ingredients

• For the meatballs
• 1-1/2 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup red (sweet) vermouth
• 1-1/4 lb. ground pork
• 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 large egg
• 6 Tbs. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 tsp. rubbed sage
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• For the sauce
• 1 14-1/2-oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms, crumbled
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt
• Make the meatballs
• Mix the breadcrumbs and vermouth in a large bowl and set aside for 20 minutes.
• Add the pork and sausage to the crumbs, breaking the meat up with your fingers as you go. Add the egg, cheese, sage, oregano, salt, and nutmeg and mix until combined. Form into 12 meatballs.
• Make the sauce
• Mix the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, dried porcini, oregano, thyme, fennel, pepper flakes, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker until the tomato paste dissolves.
• Nestle the meatballs into the sauce. Cover and cook until cooked through, 3 to 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. (The meatballs can stay on the keep-warm setting for up to 2 hours.) Season to taste with salt and serve.

Preparation

Step 1

Make the meatballs

1. Mix the breadcrumbs and vermouth in a large bowl and set aside for 20 minutes.

2. Add the pork and sausage to the crumbs, breaking the meat up with your fingers as you go. Add the egg, cheese, sage, oregano, salt, and nutmeg and mix until combined. Form into 12 meatballs.

Make the sauce

1. Mix the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, dried porcini, oregano, thyme, fennel, pepper flakes, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker until the tomato paste dissolves.

2. Nestle the meatballs into the sauce. Cover and cook until cooked through, 3 to 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. (The meatballs can stay on the keep-warm setting for up to 2 hours.) Season to taste with salt and serve.