Slow Cooker Meat Ragu

Dave and I just love a good pasta meal, whether in a restaurant or at home. I've been making my own sauce for many years, changing it here and there. I was watching Valerie Bertinelli on TV making her Lasagna alla Besciamella and I proceeded to made it from start to finish. We loved it, but we loved the sauce the most. Over the several times that I've made the sauce since, I've added and subtracted ingredients to make it just the way we like it. It is so much better than store bought sauce.

Slow Cooker Meat Ragu

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped small

3 large garlic cloves, chopped fine

1 pound Italian sweet basil bulk sausage (or links, casings removed)

2 pounds lean ground beef

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 heaping teaspoon dried basil

1 heaping teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon sea salt (or Himalayan salt)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

3-4 dried bay leaves 

3-26oz cans of crushed tomatoes

1 cup white wine (Yes. White. Not red. I like to use Sauvignon Blanc)

Directions: 

In a large frying pan, add olive oil and onions. Cook on medium until onions are translucent. Add chopped garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Do not burn the garlic. Remove from frying pan and place into a large (5 qt or more) slow cooker with heat set on low. 

In the same skillet, brown Italian sausage and ground beef on medium heat until no longer pink. Add oregano, basil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and cook 2-3 minutes until the spices start to release their aroma. Place mixture into the slow cooker. 

Into the slow cooker, add the crushed tomatoes, Bay leaves and white wine. 

Cook on low for 7-8 hrs or on high for 5 hrs. 

Serve over your favourite pasta. Enjoy!