The Graced Farm Slow Cooker Meatballs

These slow cooker meatballs are just the perfect recipe for a laid back Sunday dinner. They are loaded with all the good things. After a day of cooking low and slow they will be so tender and just melt in your mouth! YUM!

Ingredients

Meatballs-

1 lbs ground beef

1 lbs ground pork

⅓ cup minced onion

2 cloves of garlic

2 TBSP parsley

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

2 eggs

½ cup parmesan cheese grated

Salt and Pepper

2 TBSP Bacon Grease or Oil

Sauce-

2 24oz cans crushed tomatoes

6 oz can tomato paste

2 TBSP Sugar

1 TBSP Italian seasoning

1 tsp garlic powder

Dash of oregano

Instructions – Without pictures or commentary

Add beef, pork, onion, garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, eggs, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to a large bowl. Mix together with large spoon or hands
Form into 1 to 2 inch meatballs.
Heat Bacon Grease or Oil in a pan. Cook until all sides are browned. You might have to do this in batches.
While Meatballs are getting browned; mix in Crockpot: crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and oregano. Stir well!
Add meatballs to Crockpot and stir around so all meatballs are covered with sauce. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir occasionally. Serve over any pasta or eat by themselves.

Instructions – With Pictures and My Opinions*

*not part of the recipe

Find the largest bowl that you have…because I know you. You will want a small bowl so that there is less to wash. Save yourself the time of having to wash two bowls and just go for the big one. Mix together beef, pork, onion, garlic, parsley, seasoned breadcrumbs, eggs, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in that big bowl. You can probably use ground chicken or ground turkey but why!??! The grated parmesan cheese in the shaker is the best… there is no need to get fancy. Use those hands and get in there. The best tools you have in the kitchen are your hands. This is a great recipe to get your kids to help with because you can’t mess it up!

2. Now it’s time to shape that big lump of meat mixture into meatballs. An easy way to do this using a cookie scoop or an ice cream scoop!

3. The first time we tried this recipe on the Graced Farm we happened to make bacon for breakfast and instead of getting out another pan … I thought how yummy it would be to brown these meatballs in the leftover bacon grease!!! It was super yummy and the smell was wonderful. Plus, any motivation to make bacon for breakfast is a good idea! If bacon grease is not your thing, no worries, just use olive oil or any other frying oil… but you are missing out. You will probably have to do this in batches. Once done, lay out on a couple of paper towels to drain off a little of the grease.

4. Now to multitask … while those meatballs are browning pull that trusty ole crockpot out and get it ready for work. While the meatballs are browning combine crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and oregano into the crockpot. Be sure to give this a good stir. Take a moment to admire how yummy this looks.

5. Add your beautiful browned meatballs to the crockpot with that awesome-sauce you just made. Make sure that you get all the meatballs covered. Turn the crockpot on low and let it go for 6-8 hours. If you make smaller meatballs it might take less time. Make sure to check on it throughout those hours and give it a stir every now and again.