Slow-cooker Meaty Tomato Sauce With Lamb

Total Time: 53 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 8 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 3 lbs country-style boneless lamb ribs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• salt
• pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 onions, chopped medium
• 12 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano (or 2 t. dried)
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Recipe

• 1 dry the lamb with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper.
• 2 heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over med-high heat until just smoking.
• 3 brown half of the lamb, about 10 minutes, then add to the slow cooker.
• 4 return the skillet to med-high heat and repeat with 2 more teaspoons oil and the remaining lamb.
• 5 add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the empty skillet and heat over medium heat until shimmering.
• 6 add the onions and 1/4 tsp salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• 7 stir in the garlic and cook for 15 seconds.
• 8 stir in the wine and tomato paste, scraping up any browned bits.
• 9 simmer until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes, then pour into the slow cooker.
• 10 add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with their juice, the oregano, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves to the slow cooker.
• 11 cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, until the meat is tender.
• 12 let the sauce settle for 5 minutes, then use a wide spoon to skim the fat off the surface.
• 13 use a wooden spoon or spatula to break up the pieces of meat.
• 14 before tossing the sauce with cooked pasta, discard the bay leaves, stir in the parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste.