Friday Fun: Slow Cooker Bolognese

We've talked before about how convenient and helpful batch cooking is. Some of our favorite batch recipes are:
Beans & Rice
Whole Chicken in a Crockpot
Stuffed Meatballs

And we now The Wisconsin Test Kitchen has a new favorite batch recipe to add to the list: Slow Cooker Bolognese sauce. For those not familiar, Bolognese is a thick, meaty tomato sauce that pairs well with linguine or penne pasta. We made enough for dinner (and a few lunches) throughout the week, and 2 large containers to throw in the freezer for dinners later on. This was one of those meals all three members of the house agreed on: SB even cleaned her plate, and she's not typically a fan of red sauce. 

The recipe does require some prep work, and is the perfect Saturday or Sunday afternoon project. But it will save so much time and hassle later on, when you're scrambling to find something that resembles dinner. We made the sauce, along with four pounds of the stuffed meatballs. With football season right around the corner, you can never have too many homemade meatballs, right?? 

Slow Cooker Bolognese
Recipe courtesy of: Little Spice Jar

INGREDIENTS
2½ pounds fresh tomatoes (see note)
3 tablespoons oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced or coarsely grated
2 stalks celery, finely diced or coarsely grated
2 medium carrots, finely diced or coarsely grated
3 tablespoons minced garlic
¼ cup tomato paste
21/2 - 3 pounds ground beef (I used 85% lean) (see note)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon italian seasoning, 1 pinch red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1-28 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes
1-14 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
2 bay leaves
1-2 parmesan rinds
¼ cup parsley, roughly chopped (plus more for serving)
¾ cup half and half (or heavy cream!)

INSTRUCTIONS
Bring a large stockpot of water to boil. Core the fresh tomatoes and mark an "X" on the top and bottom so it's easier to peel. Add the tomatoes and allow the tomatoes to boil for 15 minutes. Drain and submerge the tomatoes in cold water to immediately stop from cooking further.
In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and allow to cook for 8-10 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Drain any unnecessary grease with the exception of about 1-2 tablespoons. Add the garlic along with the tomato paste and let cook for 30 seconds.
Increase the flame to medium-high, add the ground beef, 1 teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of pepper, the Italian seasoning, and the red pepper flakes. Allow the meat to brown, add the apple cider vinegar and allow the met to cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Add the ground meat to the crockpot along with the diced tomatoes, san marzano tomatoes, bay leaves, parmesan rinds, and parsley. Add a big pinch of salt and pepper, and allow the Bolognese to cook for 8 hours on the LOW setting of your crockpot. Add the half and half and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta sprinkled with parmesan cheese and additional parsley.

Do you have a batch cooking recipe you rely on? We'd love to hear from our readers! 

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew