awesome slow cooker italian meatball appetizers

How To Make awesome slow cooker italian meatball appetizers

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  Step 1
  THE MARINARA
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  Step 2
  Gather your ingredients.
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  Step 3
  Add the oil to a saucepan over medium heat.
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  Step 4
  When the oil begins to shimmer, then add the onions, and garlic.
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  Step 5
  Sauté until the onions begin to soften, about 3 to 5 minutes.
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  Step 6
  Add the shredded carrots, and continue to sauté for 3 to 5 minutes.
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  Step 7
  Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, lemon zest, and beef stock, and then allow the ingredients to lightly simmer for 15 minutes.
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  Step 8
  Chef’s Tip: At this time, season with the cayenne, kosher salt, and black pepper.
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  Step 9
  Chef’s Note: This type of sauce typically requires a good amount of salt to bring out the flavors of the tomatoes; however, go carefully. This sauce will be in a slow cooker for 4 hours, and things have a tendency to get a bit concentrated over that long of a cooking time. Repeat after me: Season and Taste… Season and Taste.
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  Step 10
  After 15 minutes of simmering, remove from the heat, cover, and reserve.
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  Step 11
  Chef’s Note: To puree or not to puree… that is the question. By definition a typical marinara sauce is smooth; however, I like the levels of flavor you get when you leave the carrots, and onions as they are… So, for this particular recipe, I don’t puree the sauce.
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  Step 12
  Chef’s Note: As the sauce is simmering, you can get a head start on the meatballs.
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  Step 13
  THE MEATBALLS
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  Step 14
  Chef’s Note: I call this a meatball starter recipe. From this base you can come up with all kinds of ideas. 1. Make them a bit larger (1.5 inches/3.8cm), and serve them over pasta, and you have Spaghetti and Meatballs. 2. Make them the same size as the recipe calls for, place them on a small bun, and you have Meatball Sliders. 3. Make them a bit larger (1.5 inches/3.8cm), and place them and the sauce in a sliced hoagie, and you have a Classic Italian Meatball Sub.
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  Step 15
  Gather your ingredients.
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  Step 16
  Add all the dry ingredients to a bowl, and mix thoroughly.
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  Step 17
  Add the remainder of the ingredients.
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  Step 18
  Use your hands to combine the ingredients.
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  Step 19
  Make meatballs using 1 ounce of mixture, and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
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  Step 20
  Chef’s Tip: 1 ounce of mixture is equal to a slightly rounded tablespoon.
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  Step 21
  Chef’s Note: They should measure about 1 inch/2.5cm in diameter.
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  Step 22
  Place a rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 420f (215c).
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  Step 23
  Place the meatballs in the oven, and cook for 12 minutes.
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  Step 24
  Chef’s Note: They won’t be fully cooked, but baking in the oven helped to firm them up a bit, and we rendered out some of that nasty fat.
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  Step 25
  When they are cool enough to handle place them on the bottom of a slow cooker.
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  Step 26
  Pour the marinara sauce over the top; making sure that they are completely covered.
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  Step 27
  Cook on low for 4 hours.
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  Step 28
  Remove the meatballs from the slow cooker and reserve in a bowl.
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  Step 29
  Add the lemon juice to the marinara sauce and stir to combine.
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  Step 30
  Place some marinara in a small serving dish and add a meatball.
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  Step 31
  Chef's Note: Repeat for the others.
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  Step 32
  Serve while still nice and warm. Enjoy.
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  Step 33
  Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
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